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January

Kay Tarrant started the year with a win on New Year's Day in Hyde Park, finishing 1st Lady Vet in the 3K fun run. Three days later Ian Robinson began his London Marathon build up chasing shadows in the mist at the Tadworth 10.

In the Chiltern Cross-Country League a spectacular setting and good results made for a memorable if chilly day at Wing. Jordan Eyre's 13th place took him to the top of the Club's U15s individual Championship table helping the team hang on to 7th place in Division II. Once again Jack Nisbet was sole representative in the Middlesex Cross-Country Championships finishing 75th over 12 km at  Wormwood Scrubs.

Michelle Sampson had to wait a week to win the 5K handicap when an icy course forced the 5K Handicap to be postponed. Ian Robinson and Peter Ford finished the month in the demanding multi-terrain Benfleet 15. Both had incorrectly assumed this was going to be a nice flat pre-London tester on Canvey Island - wrong!

February

Jack Nisbet repeated last year's victory in the Dolphin Dash to once again get his name on the Peter Martin Memorial Cup with Peter Furness finishing 3rd. In the Ladies Race, Jac Aldous came 1st with Julie Howard 3rd and Michelle Sampson close behind in 4th.

A win in the 5K Handicap for Ian Robinson proved that Marathon training doesn't have to slow you down. The following weekend saw the Club Championship get off to an uncharacteristically slow start at the Wokingham Half Marathon as 2000 runners squeezed through a very narrow Cantley Park.

The U15s finished their cross-country season at Stockwood Park, Luton. Jordan Eyre held on to the Team Championship by the narrowest of margins despite being overtaken by Daniel Watson in the final 100 yards. Shortly after the team was disbanded as the youngsters decided to retire in favour of Play Stations, Girls and Football. 

March

Jack Nisbet proved that it's not just low profile pub fun runs that bring the best out in him, finishing 66th overall and 4th MV40 in 1:23:12 at the Flora London Half Marathon alongside 6,200 others at Silverstone. Elaine Loughman won the final race of the 5K Handicap series in impressive style knocking 1:30 off her PB. In the Hillingdon 5 Corrina Taylor completed her second race for the Club in 46:07 with Matt Wilkins 68th in 29:48.

Peter Furness set a new PB it the Paris Half Marathon while Kay Tarrant blagged 16 laps in front of 6000 spectators on the same track Tim Montgomery broke the 100m World Record. In contrast a 45 minute delay in the start of the Reading Half Marathon caused Gary Fiddes to walk away frustrated and criticize the organisers for a pathetic shambles. Despite being locked in a Portaloo when the gun went, Pam Swaddling beat the hour in the 10K at a slightly confusing Woking Ten-Ten.

An inflamed Achilles defiantly refused to snap enabling Ian Robinson to find some form at the Petersfield Half Marathon, Cranleigh 21, Worthing 20 and Gade Valley 20 over consecutive weekends. Corinna Taylor discovered the delights of a tough 20 miler at the Compton Downland Challenge while Mark Tannian (aka Picnic Man) did the full 40.

In the Surrey Schools U11 Cross-Country Championships Lucy Morris won the Girls Championship with a killer sprint finish leaving a rather proud Keith to comment " I have no idea where she gets it from, it's clearly not me !!"

April

The London Marathon delivered a new women's world record as well as perfect conditions and enthusiastic support resulting in a memorable race. Several personal goals went unfulfilled but there were also a few surprises. Peter Furness announced his retirement from Marathon running.

At the Maidenhead Easter 10, the Ladies upstaged the Men by fielding a bigger team. The new venue and course inspired several members to stake an early claim for the Club Championship with big points hauls. One week later four PB's from the Club's largest ever Ladies team in the St Albans Ladies Only 10K gave notice of  the rapidly improving fortunes of  women's running at the Club.

Mark Tannian ground out a solid performance in his build-up for the Comrades Marathon at Stratford Upon Avon's  Shakespeare Marathon. One week later hew was back at it completing the Neolithic Marathon despite 26 miles of cow pats, dog doodoo, rugged slopes, tank tracks and cold wind. 

May

Michelle Sampson had another good run at the Henley May Day Run, finishing the 5.2 mile course in 45:16, and showing Bill Hart a clean pair of heels. Three days later she went on to take maximum points at the first of the year's Summer Time Trials in Stockley Park

The Concorde 10K maintained it's status as local favourite attracting an impressive club turnout. Both the men and women won team prizes and Jac Aldous was 3rd LV35, making it yet another successful outing to that infamous hole in the ground under the M4.

A gang of muggers received the fright of their lives when they were caught in the act by a training group out on a Wednesday night run to Hanwell locks. The resulting one mile pursuit down the towpath ended in the capture of one suspect plus an excellent workout for the runners!

A rogue finish line in the Spelthorne 10K resulted in PBs for just about everyone as we managed to entice a strong a team of twelve to Staines only to discover there wasn't a team competition. A week later retired Marathon runner Peter Furness completed the Copenhagen Marathon in a sprightly 3:16 and claimed this was definitely the last...

June

Jack Nisbet made it three out of three with a win in the Summer Dolphin Dash 10K along the Grand Union Canal from Uxbridge. Unfortunately this clashed with a Club Championship event at the Wargrave 10K so few witnessed Jack's triumph. One week later, dismay at the sweltering conditions was replaced by bemused surprise as we picked up the 2nd male team prize and Jac Aldous was 2nd Lady vet in a pale shadow of the Hillingdon Half Marathon.

Mark Tannian made it 16 Comrades Marathons in a row with an 8:34 finish in the 87km ultra. This year's "DOWN" route from Pietermaritzburg to Durban must have suited him as he was 16 minutes quicker than last year. Shortly after Mark moved out west with his new Fiancé Corinna and joined Bracknell Forest Runners. 

Suffering nothing worse than tired legs, sunburn and a few blisters, we beat a path - literally in some places - from Sea to Source along the River Thames, covering slightly further than the statutory 180 miles from the Thames Barrier to Kemble in Gloucestershire raising £2,000 for charity. We interrupted the run at Datchet to run the Dash and managed 2nd place in the men's team competition, mainly due to the help of Mark McKenzie who finished 5th overall & 2nd MV40.

July

Our first ever appearance in the Brickmakers Arms Relay Marathon got of to a great start as Matt Wilkins finished the first leg in 5th place. We then preceded to slide to 19th in the 10 x 2.6 mile relay but no one would deny it was good fun.

Retired Marathon runner Peter Furness was informed that he had been successful in the New York Marathon ballot...

August

Margaret Newman missed a golden opportunity to make the Summer Time Trial Championship her own by making a wrong turn on the Stockley Park course, leaving the outcome uncertain until the final event in September. The following weekend Peter Furness managed to complete the self same 4.2 mile course within 1 second of his predicted finish time without the aid of a watch in the annual Target Zero run on what turned out to be the hottest day ever recorded.

A mix up with the results at the Middlekerke 10K denied Paul Evans a V60 trophy despite a formal complaint issued by the Club. Tough luck Paul!

September

Margaret Newman finally remembered the Time Trial route finishing 5th but amassing enough points to win the series trophy. A win by Jac Aldous was enough to overhaul Michelle Sampson to claim the runner's up spot.

The Dorney Lake Team 5K was initially advertised as a relay but on arrival we were surprised to discover it was actually a three to score event based on cumulative times. The "A" team finish 8th over the two lap course. Jac Aldous who shattered her 5K best by 1:10 to finish 13th Lady in 21:04,  however popular rumour suggests the course was short!

Groups from the Club travelled to Nottingham for the Robin Hood Half Marathon and Newcastle for the Great North Run over consecutive weekends. There were more sore heads than legs after the GNR as everyone enjoyed several happy hours on the Toon

Peter Furness travelled all the way to Disneyland for a 5K but came back with more than just a Mickey Mouse medal taking the Bronze award in the World Airlines Road Race in Florida. That same weekend Jac Aldous set two more PB's in the Windsor Half Marathon - the first an unofficial  10 miles and the second on the finish line, a full 2 minutes off her previous best. Meanwhile Sam Shimakage ran the Berlin Marathon in  3:35 as Paul Tergat set the new Marathon world record. 

October

A combined Road Runners/Strollers & Striders team needed a coach to transport them to the Southend 10K for the biggest Club turnout of the year. Whilst most were happy to save themselves for the jellied eels, Jac Aldous set yet another PB. Gary Fiddes decided to forego the pleasures of Southend for the nuts and bolts of British road racing at the Wimbledon Hercules 10 mile and was impressed enough to suggest it as possible a contender for the 2004 Championship.

The long awaited cross-country season finally started with a cavalry charge in a dust cloud at Cassiobury Park, Watford. Jacqui Howell, Nick Miles and Graham Darvill all made their Chiltern  League  debuts and Matt Wilkins had a great race finishing 24th.

Jac Aldous shattered her 10 mile PB by 2:36 at the Cabbage Patch 10 to complete the full set set from 5K to Half Marathon in one season. The run also earned Jac enough points to overhaul Michelle Sampson to second place in the Club Championship. 

The first ever Club Parlauf confused at least one of the competitors as Tony Newman failed to realise that he was half of the winning team along with Miguel Fernandez in the 5K paired relay.

Thermal tops, bobble hats, gloves and sunglasses were de rigueur for all well dressed Swiss marathon runners at the Lausanne Marathon as unexpected conditions resulted in a demanding race but fantastic weekend.

November

An inspired performance at Stockwood Park in the Luton cross-country fixture by the male vets and and a good turnout by the senior men enabled the Club to move off the the bottom of Chiltern League Div II. Retired Marathon runner Peter Furness was given leave of absence to travel to the Big Apple for another farewell performance in the New York Marathon, qualifying for the 2004 Boston Marathon in the process...

A little closer to home, Ian Robinson ran away with the first 5K Handicap trophy of the Winter series, out kicking Jac Aldous down the final 200 metres. That weekend the Saga Louts resorted to kidnapping Brian Skinner in order to steal the H&HCA Quiz Night trophy from the Strollers & Striders, while the Skinnerless Road Runners team could only finish second at St Matthews, setting the scene for a three way grudge match.

A very depleted cross-country team went back to Stockwood Park for the third Chiltern League fixture. It was cold, it was wet, it was muddy... it was proper cross - country at last! Despite the lack of numbers we maintained a respectable position off the bottom of the League Table.

December

Matthew Barnard made his first competitive appearance in a club vest and Graham Darvill showed off his sprint finish in Luton Marathon Relays. The Senior Men went AWOL  and the Ladies team were scuppered by illness but the male vets had a good day.

The Christmas Dinner Dance at the Comfort Inn will long be remembered for Peter Ford's "118" performance on the dance floor. Peter went to the trouble of growing a David Bedford moustache especially for the occasion - unfortunately the hair proved to be too much of a challenge for our favourite slaphead. Peter and Mary have since moved to Yately; we wish Sandhurst Joggers the best of luck! 

Any disappointment at coming second in both the Club Championship and Time Trial was soon dispelled when Jac Aldous was received the Runner of the Year trophy at the annual awards night. Ian Robinson won the Club Championship and Margaret Newman picked up the Time Trial trophy. Mike McCorkell was the lucky winner of the Club's London Marathon place.