Above: A big day for the Traralgon Harriers AV team at Bendigo with Dempsey Podmore winning a Silver medal in his age group and captain Greg Semmler in the front running his 100th AV event for the Traralgon Harriers. Sign up for our club newsletter (on the homepage) for the full story.
This week’s run is Rangeview Drive 5k (St. Gabriel’s PS). Park at the club and run up to the start on Rangeview Drive, or park in the St Gabriel’s carpark.
Duty: Claire McCumber & Emma Marino. CM: Angeline Snell.
*Next week’s run is Waterhole Creek Morwell 5k.
Duty: Ron Verschuur & Collette Hoffman. CM: Alysha Duncan
Course Markers are to get marking chalk from Molly Irvine, preferably the week prior to your course at the Thursday run. Marking is dependant upon weather, and should generally be done just before the run to ensure clear, fresh arrows.
If the weather is seriously inclement in winter (severe rain, gale force winds) we may cancel the Thursday run, but traditionally, Thursday Harriers is run despite the weather. In the event that it is too bad to run, we’ll notify cancellation via social media. If the weather is bad and we still run, we may just cancel doing lucky member draw and member’s address after. In that case, members can arrive, run, lodge times and go, with no need to stand around getting colder.
On that note, the severe rain and cold kept many members away last week, but we still had 36 crazy runners on the St. Paul’s 5k course. The rain actually stopped about 10 minutes before the first group set off, and held until after we’d finished. My take is, it’s only weather.
Don’t forget our weekly Lucky Member’s Draw! Quite a few members are missing out because they’ve left when their name is called out, and we redraw if you’re not there. Liz Kenney and Darrell Cross have missed out a few times, and Jason Irvine who has just returned to the club, has missed out 2 weeks in a row!
I was reflecting recently on the milestones of local runners participating in parkrun. Many members have achieved some amazing milestones with the Harriers. Just on a general crunching of numbers, if someone has been a member for 10 years, and completed say 40 out of the possible 48 runs in a year, that equals 400 Harriers runs. There are members who have been running with the club for over 20 years, averaging out over time maybe 800 club Thursday runs. It’s difficult to be exact, but current and still active club members such as Crossy, Liz K, Legge, Barry, Belinda, Ian H, Ian C, Kay etc - They all must be approaching the 1000 Harriers run club. That’s incredible!
A big congratulations to AV Captain Greg Semler who reached his 100th representation of the club last weekend. Well done Greg, you champion!
For the safety of everyone, we’re back to 5 starting groups for Thursday runs. This saves congestion on footpaths at the start, and a mass of runners on roads in town. Club Handicapper Andrew Legge has grouped members into fair handicaps based on times (check the table in this newsletter or on our facebook page). If you feel you need to be re-handicapped please have a chat to him. Handicaps are about members running in a group that is commensurate with the individual member’s time, so we all run in a group with similar times and ability. Handicaps are not a penalty. It spreads runners out at the start, so is safer, and means that members all finish around the same time. Handicaps are fluid and adjusted.
Make sure you get your name checked off the list BEFORE starting, making note of your group.
Group 1 (Walkers/Slower Runners) - Start Upon Arrival
Group 2- Start 5:50
Group 3- Start 6
Group 4- Start 6:05
Group 5- Start 6:10
Winter Season Rules
-Self Timing (please give time to duty member after you’ve finished the course).
-New Runners Always Welcome (2 free runs before membership).
-ALL RUNNERS MUST WEAR THE CLUB-APPROVED REFLECTIVE VEST. Guests and forgetful members will be issued a loaner to be returned. All new financial members receive a vest as part of their membership (over $55 value). ALL MEMBERS MUST WEAR A CLUB APPROVED REFLECTIVE VEST AT EVERY WINTER RUN. This is part of an agreement made with Latrobe City and Vic Pol.
-PLEASE check in with duty members and get your name marked off the list BEFORE you take to the course (Very important for safety so we know who is on course). Walkers still start upon arrival for winter season.
-Look after junior runners and newbies. Be careful on the road, at road crossings. Give way to traffic.
-Please run on the right hand side so you can see traffic, or preferably, on the footpath. Watch for obstacles. Safety is the priority over times!
*Membership is overdue for renewal. Thanks to everyone who has signed up already. Membership is approaching our record from last year which is fantastic for the club, and a testimony to you, the members, for making it such a welcoming and positive environment. If you haven’t yet renewed or signed up if you’re a newbie to the club, please do so. It makes managing the club, duty allocation, AV organisation and insurances more smooth to administer. Currently, we’re sitting just under the 150 members mark, which is incredible for this time of the year.
*All members please check the updated Winter Duty Roster and make note of your rostered date. If you can’t do your allocated duty, it’s up to you to swap with someone or get a fill-in. If you’re not on the roster it’s because you’re a course marker, you don’t run Thursdays (only do AV), you’re a junior member, late-in-the-season-joining new member, or you got lucky. That’s the benefit of having good membership numbers; you get to run more and only have to do one duty in a season. The idea is to make duty fun, it’s not a chore. It’s a great way to get to know other members and put names to faces. (NB: If you’re on duty, you can run early, do the course and put in your time).
*UPDATED Duty Roster Winter 2023
REMEMBER: If you can’t fulfil your allocated duty, the onus is on you to swap with someone.
^Indicates you didn’t turn up for your rostered duty or organise a fill-in, so you may be reallocated at a later date.
6 April Geoff Francis & Lee Francis
13 April Karen Graham & Catherine Leonard
20 April Michelle Colwell & Kathy Quinn
27 April Darrell Cross & ^Michael Walker
4 May Krissi Crieghton & Luke Witham
11 May Errol Poole & Angelo Gaudiano
18 May ^Nick Hodson & Kylee Earl
25 May David Hood & Andrew Broburg
1 June Claire McCumber & Emma Marino
8 June Ron Verschuur & Collette Hoffman
15 June Mark Fairbairn & Ian Cornthwaite
22 June Paul Rollandin & Nicholas Talerico
29 June Stephen Renehan & Andrew Panayiotou
6 July Kate Cumming & Clinton Jolly
13 July Glenn Graham & Kathleen Kent
20 July Trent Kooyman & Owen Notting
27 July Jason Odlum & David Wirken
3 Aug Kylie Murray & Rose Croft
10 Aug Michelle Sawyer & Maree Graham
17 Aug Katelyn Rowe & Felicity Beasley
24 Aug Bjorn Luxmann & Paul Smith
31 Aug Tania Whitehead & Denise Twite
7 Sept David Barr & Josh Dalton
14 Sep Anthony Magaldi & Andrew Greenhill
21 Sep Gary Fox & Shane Gavin
28 Sept Liz Kenney & Matilda Lappin
5 Oct Newborough Track Duty TBC
12 Oct Samantha McGown & John Richards
*IMPORTANT Harriers Dates
4 June 56th Traralgon Marathon & Running Festival
29 June AGM
29 July Mid-year Presentations, Traralgon Bowls Club
We all know, a healthy club requires new energy, new ideas and a little helping of selflessness to keep it going. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to think about taking on an important club role, such as becoming a Race Director or joining the committee. The AGM will be after the Marathon at the end of June.
GENERAL CLUB NOTES
*For those doing Thursday duty, please arrive by 5:40 at the start of the course. The list will be there provided by Handicapper Andrew Legge. You need to check-in all attending members (by highlighting their names) before they set off on course, and write in their times at the end. One person should be responsible for the list, the other should be on the clock and announcing start times for the groups (use your phone). Give each group a two minute, one minute and 10 second warning, and then a clear vocal start.
*Course markers should inform of any aspects on the course for safety, and you should be familiar with the course if there is a plotaroute (many summer trails don’t have them) so you can give directions especially to new runners (who you should make feel welcome and inform me of their attendance to give a shout out at the end). Plotaroutes are posted on the club’s FB page and Insta. The course marker should make note of any obstructions or obstacles and point them out at the start of the run and inform those on duty. Winter in town runs must be marked with white chalk with large arrows.
*Traralgon Harriers Merchandise – Remember we’ve got club socks, caps, visors and beanies; socks come in women’s and men’s and are $15 for members ($20 for non-members), caps are one-size fit $20 ($25 non), and beanies are $20 for members ($25 for non). We also have running singlets at a cost of $30 for members. All merchandise is at a subsidised cost to members; we’re not trying to make money off these items, just provide another way for members to unify, identify and fly the club flag.
*Lucky Member Prize Draw after each Thursday run - All financial members are on the list. Remember you must be there to collect your prize otherwise it is re-drawn (This happens a fair bit, so don’t miss out - Don’t be a winner who leaves and therefore loses). The value of the prizes has gone up so it’s even more worth your while sticking around. Remember, the draw happens after the last runner is through and all times have been recorded. Thanks to Kaye Livingstone for organising the weekly prizes.
At the end of each Thursday run we also welcome and acknowledge any new runners who have joined us for the first time. If you see a new face, say hi, chat to them and make sure they stick around and feel welcomed. We seem to have new runners every week and a lot are actually joining after their 2 free runs.
*T-Squad Weekend Sessions; usually Saturday mornings, various locations with Greg Semmler. Join the FB Group “T Squad” for more details.
*Tuesday Group Sessions; at the Little Aths Track, Davidson Street Traralgon from 6pm with me and a great team. Join the FB Group “Traralgon Tuesday Running Group” for more details.
Remember to shoot your run reports and fitness adventures to Twitey to be included in the newsletter. Other members enjoy reading about your adventures, so don’t be shy to share. ([email protected]).
Thought for the week: “Smart people learn from everything and everyone, average people from their experiences, stupid people already have all the answers.” - Socrates
Let’s hope the weather holds and our 56th Marathon is incredible for members and guests alike. Make sure you make everyone feel welcome, wear your Big T singlets, and enjoy lunch after whichever event you’re running.
Phill Mayer – President
