27th April 2022
Race 1 of the season and what an eventful race it turned out to be!
Everyone expected this race to be a quiet one, with only 135 runners pre registered for a place.

However, on the night there was a significant accident on the M27 that caused over an hour of traffic. This led to poor Robbie, Will Baggs and Will Miller sitting on the motorway and missing the race completely. Lucky Pauline was as calm as she could be, having only driven over from her Cosham office! Danielle only just managed to sort herself out, using the jog down to the start as her very reduced warm up. But it was Stuart and Alan Lowth that put the most effort in. Stuart took full advantage of the many marshals, pinning one corner of his bib on himself whilst having three other people to quickly place the remaining pins before breathlessly finding the ladies on the start line. The last to arrive was Alan who ran to the back of the already-running pack, with his bib still in his hand.

This is a flat, fast paced race, with many junior athletes regularly taking part. It is located at Lakeside North Harbour so expect wonderful sunsets and beautiful scenery as you run two laps of the lake. The marshals are plenty and are very encouraging. 

There were 97 finishers. Well done to our four runners; Stuart Crosswell, Alan Lowth, (just don’t look at his distance!) Danielle Dawkins and Pauline Nicholson.
Well done everyone and we hope that more of you sign up for future races. 

There are 4 more this season. Every runner scores a point for the club. The top ten male and female finishers in each race are awarded bonus points. Individual series is based on the best of 3 races. There are awards for the top 6 teams in the Alexandra Sports Inter-Club Challenge so please come and along so we can get as many points as we can. The next race is 25th May. Pre-entry is recommended.

http://www.athleticevents.co.uk/lakeside%205k%20series.html

Lovely conditions for running last night - no wind, overcast, slight drizzle, not too warm.... and some very impressive times from Hedgies that went along to Lakeside for round 3 of the 5 race series. The club was represented by 13 members - 11 men but only 2 women. Well done to all runners and supporters. Come on Ladies! - why not give these races a go. There are still two more races this year - on the 26th of July and the 30th of August..
Well done to Matt Risden, Chris Winbourne and Tim Ford for 5K PB's and to Robbie Macnab and Richard Allen for Season Bests. Also congratulations to Melanie Ford for coming 1st in her age category.     
​The full Hedgie results are as follows...

Well done to all Hedgies that made it to Lakeside to compete or support in the second race of the five race series. The results show quite a few Hedgies improving on their time and position from race 1. Keep up the great work!

The results from race number 2 held on Wednesday the 23rd March 2017 were as follows:

Many thanks to Karen Andrews for the following event report on the Lakeside 5K race on 24th May 2017...

This Wednesday saw the second in this year's Lakeside 5k series, based at Lakeside 1000 near Hilsea.

I have done a number of these races over the past few years, and have experienced three different courses. The first course I did involved a few loops around a car park, an uninspiring section along main road, then a nice straight sprint to the finish line. Last year the course was changed to incorporate the lake (quite aptly, given the name), but keep the same finish section. One more change for this season has seen the course become two identical laps, preceded by a fast, slightly downhill start. I have to say, despite the new course having a few tight turns and a splattering of bollards to avoid, I much prefer it. The gravel and tarmac path around the lake takes runners on a much more scenic route than the old road course, and it is nice to run without cars whizzing by. Doing two laps doesn't bother me - I always think lapped runs are only mentally challenging if you let them be. But think positive and they can be quite beneficial - you know that once it starts getting tough, all you need to do is start that second lap and you're over half way!

So... as it was such a beautiful day, Wednesday's race preparation for me went as follows: Go to the seaside. Eat ice cream. Remember to drink lots of water. Forget to apply suncream. Get sunburn. Decide not to race. Be informed by the children that I have to race because they still want to go to their Uncle's house (chief babysitter). Drink lucozade. And an espresso. And another one. Plan your departure time based on the 7.30 start time. Realise it's a 7.15 start time. Get a move on!

It was lovely to arrive and see lots of Hedgies already there. Some warming up, most catching up, and all discussing how this beautiful heatwave was just a bit of an inconvenience on a race night.

When you enter your first Lakeside 5k of the year you get issued with your number. You then keep this for each of the races in that season. Having run the first one in April, I already had my number so headed along the lakeside path for a warm up. Lakeside always seems to be a popular hangout for geese, and my warm up including "ahhh-ing" at the baby geese (which probably have a proper name, like geeselings or something). Then it was off to the start.
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Lakeside isn't chip timed, so the start can be a bit of an elbow battle near the front. I found a spot near a runner I know who is about the same pace as me. We were having a lovely chat when the horn suddenly went off, and we never did finish our conversation. Maybe next month!

The slightly downhill start at Lakeside makes for a fast first kilometre, which suits me quite well. My plan was to go out fast for the first km, cling on/slow down slightly for the next two km, take km four a bit easier (somehow this helps me psychologically to know I get a bit of a breather!) then pick up again for the last kilometre. I pretty much stuck to the plan, with the help of a few fellow runners who I teamed up with at various points. Running is always easier when you have someone to run alongside! I was pleased to find myself over taking a number of people in the last two kilometres, despite my planned drop in pace. With about a mile to go I overtook a lady who always finishes ahead of me. With a kilometre to go (and with the help of synchronised running with a man from Stubbington Green, which kept us both pushing on) I upped the pace and did my last kilometre in 3.47. I crossed the finish line at 18.59. Not a PB, but faster than the month before so progress! Given that I only like hot weather if I am near a pool or on a beach, I was pleased to finish so strong. Or finish at all. In all honesty I wanted to stop after one lap because it was hard work and I was so hot. What got me through wasn't sheer grit and determination. It wasn't repeating inspiring mantras in my head. Nor was it an intrinsic desire to achieve my best. It was the fact that one of my Year 11 students often helps to give out water at the finish line. No way was I dropping out and risking him seeing me giving up on something, when I constantly harp on about self belief at school.

For me, the best bit about local races is always seeing running friends, and cheering some of them on over the finish line then having a catch up. It was great to hear of some excellent performances and PBs. Notably, three Hedgies came in under 18 minutes - well done Kevin, Will and Peter.

There's no medal after the Lakeside races, just the glow of sweat and the pride of a job well done (and a banana). I am a big fan of race bling, but despite there being no hint of medal/Tshirt/purple hand towel, I still enter Lakeside because of the chance to run a fast and flat course. Whatever pace you run, it is a good chance to push yourself under race conditions to see just what you can achieve. The atmosphere is really good, there are lots of Hedgies to cheer you on, and a Starbucks less than 20 metres from the finish line! There was none of the famous Hedgie cake this time, but I am planning on baking for the next one (requests now being taken).

Well done to everyone who took part, especially when most of us would quite happily have been in the garden with a cold drink.
If you haven't done a Lakeside 5k before then I thoroughly recommend trying the next one on Wednesday June 28th (& getting your cake requests in to me early!)

Entries can be completed online at http://www.athleticevents.co.uk/lakeside%205k%20series.html

Karen x

This popular series, which also incorporates the Alexandra Sports Inter-Club Challenge, takes place within the Lakeside North Harbour Complex. All the races start at 7.15pm.The individual series is based on the best 3 performances and the team series is based on all 5 races. Every finisher scores a point for their team and the top 10 male and female finishers in each race are awarded bonus points, 10 to the winners to 1 for 10th place. There are awards for the top 8 teams in the Inter-Club Challenge. In addition, there are prizes  for the first 3 male and female finishers  in each race. You can enter the series or individual races either on line, by post or on the night. There is a discount for  pre-entering  the series online.

Well done to the many Hedgies that entered the first race or went along to support. The club was 5th in the Inter-Club challenge last year, so it would be great to improve on that position this year.

The results from race number 1 held on Wednesday the 26th April 2107 were as follows....

​Calling all Hedge End runners!
 
The 2017 Lakeside 5k series starts this Wednesday (26 April) and Hedge End were placed 5th in the 2016 Inter-Club Championship in their first season in the series
 
Let’s have a good turn-out from the club to challenge for the championship once again which has prizes for the top 8 clubs
 
This race starts at 7.15pm and this year the registration is at the Lakeside North Harbour Reception, Cosham and not Hilsea Lido.
 
The minimum age is 11 years and there are age category prizes in the series in all age groups from U13 to Over 80.
 
There is a dedicated free car park close to the start of the race.
 
Starbucks at Lakeside will be open for your pre-race or post-race coffee
 
You can enter on the night or in advance... here

Well done to all Hedgies that participated in the 2016 Lakeside 5K Inter-Club Challenge, sponsored by Alexandra Sports. 

Your efforts resulted in the club finishing in 5th place for which we received a prize of Alexandra Sports vouchers to the value of £70....

The 2016 Inter-Club Challenge
1 City of Portsmouth A.C.
2 Southampton A.C.
3 Chichester Runners & A.C.
4 Eastleigh Runners
5 Hedge End Runners
6 Havant A.C.
7 Winchester & District
8 Lordshill
9 Aldershot. Farnham & Dist
10 Fareham Crusaders
11 Stubbington Green
12 Denmead Striders

The club was represented by many different members, however it's been decided that the vouchers will be split equally between those members that participated in the most races.
 
These were as follows….
5 of 5 Races –
John McKenzie
Chris Brooks
Sandra Hook
4 of 5 Races –
Matt Risden
Kerry Brown
Geoff Collins
Jordan Winbourne

Congratulations to everone that ran in at least one of the five races.