Captains Corner

Firstly, we'd just like to say how honoured we are to be serving again as your captains, for a second and final year in 2020. We had a fantastic year as a club in 2019. It was lovely looking back over what we've all done this past year and celebrating everyone's achievements at the AGM last week. Sorry if we went on a bit but there was so much to celebrate! See the AGM News and Gallery if you weren't able to attend. We've done our very best to represent each and every one of you this past year and it has been our privilege to do so. We've loved every minute! We could not wish for a more friendly, welcoming, enthusiastic, talented, supportive, diverse - not to mention crazy! - bunch of people to represent! 

We are now such a big running club (220 ish members!) with a range of running options - Monday (Up & Coming runners) Club, Loopy Tuesdays, Thursday club and the new Sunday Social runs!  We hope in 2020 the club continues to offer something for everyone and provide opportunities for us to come together as a club. Our Social Secretary has been and will continue to be integral to that. This a perfect time for us to thank Matt Bessell for everything he's done for the club over the past two years as Social Secretary. Matt has provided us with an array of opportunities to get out and about beyond the usual limits of the hour on club nights. This has mostly centred around food of course! (How well he knows us!). From breakfast runs, to lunchtime runs, to BBQ's - sausages galore! Veggie ones as well of course. Matt - we salute you! 

We'd now like to welcome Julia Dunn (aka Jules!) to the team as she will be taking on the responsibility for getting us out and about as our new Social Secretary for 2020! We can't wait for what you have in store for us. For a taster check out the Social News page! 

 Onto the racing!

This year has already got off to a bang! Just 12 days into the new decade and a hardy 17 of us headed due North West to Thornbury - and had a rollicking good time on the banks of the Severn! We say good. If good means - battered by winds, wading through mud, staggering up hills - then it was definitely good! A reward for the toughness of the Riverbank Rollick (Club Champ 2020 - Race Numero Uno - very exciting!) was some great views down the Severn. We're sure we spotted two spectacular bridges at one point, but then we may well just have been seeing double! Other slightly disconcerting visions en-route (possibly real, possibly not!) was a marshal dressed as Mr Blobby and Rupert the Bear!?  Crazy marshals, very tough course, lots of mud .... this does sound quite familiar actually. Can't think why??

 14 days later, 14 EGRC went out into the country and got absolutely slaughtered! No, this wasn't Jules' first club social excursion (although there was some alcohol involved!) it was Club Champ Race Number 2 - Slaughterford 9! All the details will follow in next months' edition with an epic race report but needless to say - some cracking times were laid down in what was a lovely little roller-coaster of a race. 

Now let's look at the weekend in between these two races; We've saved the best till last!!

Needless to say - The Doynton Hard Half Marathon (DHHM) 2020 was an absolute blast once again and a raging success! With over 200 marshals / helpers - the majority EGRC - how could it not be!? A crazy 39 EGRC also ran the thing as well. Truly mad. Read the DHHM Race Report written by Mandy Collier-King for all the details. Most agree that the 5th year was the best year so far. Well done to everyone involved! You were amazing! There are far too many to mention here - so let's just mention one.

One Mr Pete Blanchard.

The Godfather of the DHHM. Well done Pete for everything you've put into the DHHM (i.e. your heart and soul!) over the last 5 years. Pete now takes a step back from organising the DHHM to take a well-earned rest! Thankfully the 5th year will not be the last - thanks to Andrew Cook who is taking up the reigns in 2021. If you want to describe to someone what EGRC is like as club, our ethos, our spirit, what we stand for, what we're like - you could sum it up in 4 little words - or even letters ..... DHHM