Elise Thorner retained her British title in a new championship record.
It was another memorable week for Wells City Harriers, headlined by Elise Thorner successfully defending her British 3000m steeplechase title in championship record time at the Novuna UK Athletics Championships. Elsewhere, members competed across a wide range of events, from the Hyrox World Championships in Stockholm to the Longest Day Run at Glastonbury Abbey and the fast new Martock 10K course, producing impressive performances and age-group successes. The club also paid tribute to former Harrier Wayne Speake, whose achievements and encouragement left a lasting mark on generations of runners.
Novuna UK Athletics Championships
Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June 2026
[Report by Al Thorner]
Elise Thorner leading over the water jump.
Elise Thorner arrived with clear intent at the Novuna UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham on Saturday 20th June; intent to retain her title in the 3000m steeplechase 11 months ago and intent to run fast. The 25 year old Wells City Harrier international didn't disappoint taking the lead against her eight rivals shortly after the first lap, scorching round the seven and a half lap event to win by a comfortable 15 second margin in a time of 9 mins 16.95 seconds. The New Balance sponsored athlete set a new championship best performance with this time reducing the previous record by six seconds set by herself the previous year. Currently ranked sixth in the world and No 1 in Europe, this performance was a trial for the forthcoming European Championships in August on the same track in Birmingham where Thorner will compete for Great Britain having gained automatic selection in the steeplechase. Prior to these Championships she will complete a three week training block at altitude in France before hopefully, subject to selection, compete for England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Wednesday 29th July.
Also competing at the Championships was 23-year-old Harrier Harry Barton, who lined up in Heat 3 of the 400m. Barton finished fifth in his heat with a time of 47.26 seconds, narrowly missing out on a place in the final. The event was ultimately won by Matthew Hudson-Smith.
From Yeovil Olympiads, Skye Sauter finished seventh in Heat 3 of the 400m in 54.48 and Georgia Silcox finished fourth in Heat 3 in the 100m Hurdles in a time 13.92, both unable to make the final in their event.
Longest Day Run The Ruins
Sunday 21st June 2026
Harriers post race
The second Glastonbury Abbey Mid-Summer Trail Run took place over the mid-summer weekend, welcoming runners and walkers to the abbey’s stunning 36-acre grounds. The event combined fitness, fun, and history, offering participants the opportunity to experience one of the area's most iconic locations in a unique and challenging way.
Much like the rich history of the abbey itself, the route was full of excitement and variety. Participants encountered loops across perfectly manicured lawns, uneven terrain, and loose gravel paths that provided excellent overtaking opportunities. The course also featured short, sharp sections where runners could choose between two alternative routes before entering narrow single-track areas where overtaking was not permitted. The trail continued through woodland areas, across bridges, and alongside the abbey ruins, creating a memorable and dynamic running experience.
There was a 2.5K, 5K and 10K option. For faster runners, there was an additional competitive element. There were two sprint sections of 100 metres and 200 metres, requiring participants to carefully consider their race strategy. Runners competed for the opportunity to be crowned the King or Queen of the Sprints based on their performances in these sections.
Harrier Results:
10K
4th - Neil Locke - 43:15
14th - Mike Bosley - 45:58
19th - Evelyn Wigley - 48:00 (2nd Female)
20th - Matthew Wigley - 48:10
21st - Mark Pople - 48:27
Full results here.
Hyrox World Championships
Sunday 21st June 2026
[Report by Jon James]
Feeling good on an early 1K run.
On our summer solstice weekend, two WCH runners descended on Stockholm - not for Sweden’s much celebrated “Midsommar” festival, but for the Hyrox world championships. Hyrox is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. It is a combination of 8 gym strength and endurance stations including a sled push (154kgs), sled pull, 200 metres Farmers’ Carry (48kgs), 100 metres of lunges (carrying 20kg bag), 80 metres of burpees, 1000 metres each of rowing and ski erg, interspersed after each station with 8 laps of a 1km running track (5 miles in total), then completed with an extremely difficult station called Wall Balls which involves squatting with a 6kg medicine ball and launching it 100 times against a target 10 feet high! When competing as a double, you share the stations, but both of you have to do all of the running!
Jon James and Nick Stevens had only been dabbling with the event since the start of the year, training at the JT Fit Training Club at Wells and attending some Hyrox classes, mainly as a means of keeping up strength - important for older athletes like Jon and Nick! Somewhat to their surprise they then qualified for the world championships at the first Hyrox event they did in Cardiff (in the 60-64 age group), back at the start of May, by finishing in a podium spot.
The opposition in Stockholm really did include the best in the world –, e.g., the current world champions and the world record holders from the USA. So, with still being relative novices at the event, Nick and Jon were pleased to finish 4th in the 60-64 age group, but it was a question of what might have been as they missed out on finishing 3rd and a podium finish by 1 second, and if they hadn’t incurred two 15 second time penalties for accidentally leaving the boxed area during the sled pull, they would have come second! Next time…
Full results here.
Finishing their final 1K run.
Martock 10K
Sunday 28th June 2026
Young Harriers prerace.
The new 2026 course was a predominantly flat, one-lap route on quiet country roads and through pretty hamstone villages, making it every bit as fast as promised.
Starting from Martock Recreation Ground, the route took runners straight through the picturesque centre of Martock before turning left past the old race start and finish location at Martock Fire Station. It then followed a series of left turns before returning to finish back at the Recreation Ground.
Harrier Results:
8th – Harry Dawson – 35:19 (1st U18M)
9th – Joseph Whelan – 36:05 (2nd U18M)
12th – Freddie Rawbone – 36:54
13th – Robbie Hawkins – 37:25
16th – Bailey Clark – 37:50
17th – Casper Rawbone – 37:57
24th – Dan Bryant – 38:36
37th – Joe Nelson – 39:18
50th – Ray Rawbone – 40:16 (3rd MV40)
664th – Laura James – 1:07:11
Full results here.
Remembering Wayne Speake
The club are saddened to announce the death of former Harrier Wayne Speake who sadly passed away on 23rd June 2026.
Wayne (4th from left) at the 1992 Christmas Paarlauf.
[Words from Paul Chadwick]
Wayne joined us in the 1990’s and was one of the fastest senior runners, if not the fastest in the Club at the time.
I first met him at what was then the Club’s annual Xmas Day paarlauf at a snowy Millfield track in December 1992. Whoever was paired with him had a great chance to win the box of chocolates! (It was Rachel Wray!).
He ran several London Marathons in succession in the 1990s and early 2000s: sub-2.45 and later sub-3. We used to have a laugh after every London Marathon as coincidentally there was another Wayne Speake in the Midlands who ran pretty much similar times at London!
When he was working at Westlands and living at Tintinhull, he’d win many of the local Somerset races including the original Yeovil 5k races, which for a year or two started and finished in his village.
He was keen to have a go at all distances and most terrains - winning the Somerset Series outright in its first three years 1996-1998. This took in road and multi-terrain races as it does today.
He’d seen that we’d entered teams into the first four editions of the Cotswold Way Relay and then agreed to join the team in 1998 on the proviso he got to run leg 7 - the shortest leg which might not require any previous reconnaissance. Of course he won in 98, and from then on despite encouragement to try another of the 10 legs he kept going back each year to do the same leg and chase the leg record! His 2002 leg 7 Cotswold Way relay time was a record for the next decade.
Running leg 7 of the Cotswold Relay, 1998.
[Memory from Ben Tickner]
He was a bit of a beast on the track, had Ronhill tracksters and used to be proud of teaching his children to count bilingually, one deux three quatre.. and so on.
[Memory from Frank Tickner]
I vaguely remember doing a race with him at Lamyatt. I must have been 12 or so. (C. 1995?) I'm sure he let me win, for which I was awarded a wax covered round of cheddar. He was extremely enthusiastic and very kind and encouraging. I remember the off-counting method, too!
The club would like to extend our commiserations to all his family.
Club Welfare
Wells City Harriers has two club welfare officers, Sarah Massey and Jon James. They are available to support any concerns athletes, parents or coaches raise or would like to discuss in relation to safety and wellbeing, and to help the club implement welfare policies and procedures. All officials and coaches have DBS clearance and have received training related to safeguarding and health and safety.
Further details can be found on the WCH website safeguarding page: Safeguarding: including links to forms where incidents and concerns can be logged.
Please do contact us if you have questions:
News Reports
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this week’s report. If you’ve raced recently, please remember that we can only include your results if you send us a race report or photos to let us know about it. Send your race details and photos to
Dates For Your Diary
Here is a list of upcoming races, including WCH supported races, Somerset Series races, road relays, athletics league fixtures and other notable events. Contact club secretary Alexander Coombs if there is an event you would like adding. (SS = Somerset Series race, SRC = Somerset Road Championships)
July 2026
Wednesday 1st July 2026 - Shepton Mallet Lido Aquathlon Summer Series (Event 3)
Saturday 4th July 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 8th July 2026 - Yeovilton 5K (Race 4)
Wednesday 8th July 2026 - South West PB 5K Series (Race 3)
Wednesday 8th July 2026 - Shepton Mallet Lido Aquathlon Summer Series (Event 4)
Saturday 11th July 2026 - National Athletics League Division 1 West (Fixture 2 - Bournemouth)
Tuesday 14th July 2026 - Westbury 5K
Wednesday 15th July 2026 - Shepton Mallet Lido Aquathlon Summer Series (Event 5)
Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th July 2026 - Combined Events Track & Field Outdoor Championships (Horspath)
Sunday 19th July - South West Inter-County Track and Field Championships (Exeter)
Wednesday 22nd July 2026 - Shepton Mallet Lido Aquathlon Summer Series (Event 6)
Thursday 30th July 2026 - YOAC Evening Open 3
August 2026
Saturday 1st August 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Tuesday 11th August 2026 - Westbury 5K
Wednesday 12th August 2026 - Yeovilton 5K (Race 5)
Saturday 22nd August 2026 - National Athletics League Division 1 West (Fixture 3 - Yeovil)
Thursday 27th August 2026 - YOAC Evening Open 4
[SS] [SRC] Monday 31st August 2026 - Baltonsborough 5 Mile
September 2026
Saturday 5th September 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Sunday 6th September 2026 - The Beast
Wednesday 9th September 2026 - Yeovilton 5K (Race 6)
Saturday 12th/Sunday 13th September 2026 - The Isle of Wight Fell Running Championship Series
Saturday 12th September 2026 - National Athletics League Promotion Playoff (Oxford) TBC
Saturday 12th September 2026 - U20/Senior Inter Counties Track & Field Outdoor Championships (Kingston)
Sunday 13th September 2026 - U16/U18 Inter Counties Track & Field Outdoor Championships
[SS] [SRC] Sunday 13th September 2026 - Burnham Half Marathon
Sunday 20th September 2026 - Swansea Bay 10K
Sunday 27th September 2025 - The Black Nore 10K
October 2026
Saturday 3rd October 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 14th October 2026 - Street 5K (Race 1)
[SS] Sunday 25th October 2026 - Herepath Half
November 2026
Saturday 7th November 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 11th November 2026 - Street 5K (Race 2)
[SS] Sunday 22nd November 2026 - Brent Knoll MT
December 2026
Saturday 5th December 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 9th December 2026 - Street 5K (Race 3)