Tewkesbury Running Club
Member of the Month
2025
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January
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New Year, new Start, new Member of the Month… Congratulations to Hannah Moon, on receiving the first MotM award of the year for January. Coming back from injury sustained during a hockey match, Hannah has concentrated her efforts on building strength and stamina for her running goals. The first one of 2025 entailed pounding the streets of Cheltenham in the Linda Franks 5 race in an impressive PB time of 39:40 mins. The following week doubling the distance in the Boddington 10, being the first lady home for Tewkesbury, and in her second PB of the month with 1hr 24 mins. If not running, she will happily support from the sidelines, offering encouragement to fellow runners and taking some ‘interesting’ photos. Now safely back running with her ‘regrown’ achilles tendon, the new Moon has lined-up some exciting races for 2025!
Congratulations Hannah.
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February
As the Cross Country comes to a close for 2024-25, our Member of the Month for February goes to Wes Reid. His time, effort, and enthusiasm for the off-road races are second to none and his persuasive encouragement on the club’s WhatsApp group to fellow members, saw Tewkesbury put forward runners in all categories for both men, women and over 65’s. Wes always arrives first and the tent is ready and waiting for the runners, and causes much merriment in its dismantling, which is often captured on film! Adding chauffeur to his list of credits, he ferried the teams to Bath for the third race and organised a joint birthday/curry night to complete the end of the season. Although Pittville, being our ‘home ground’, was by far the worst conditions we saw all season, there were a fair few teams looking on wistfully when the Prosecco and cakes made an entrance and Tewkesbury were rocking out the tunes. Cheers Wes for making it all possible – our MotM for February.
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March
March’s Member of the Month is proudly awarded to our Coach and Vice-Captain Michael Younger. Since battling his back fractures sustained during 2020, he has slowly but surely been building his strength and stamina to get back to his running pace. During this time, he has continued to help and support other members of the club in similar situations. He endlessly gives his time to provide the monthly training sessions, even making the dreaded ‘Mitton Mountains’ enjoyable. He has just finished another of his “Get Back to Running” courses - helping those that need that added boost and confidence to rejoin the club runs. He started the month running the 10 mile race in glorious Chippenham with a 1:34 hr finish time – this giving Mike 4th in the 70—74 category. He ended March completing the Dublin City Half Marathon in an impressive 2:01 hr. Congratulations Mike, hope you enjoyed the Irish hospitality.
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April
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Congratulations must go to Jackie Layton for our April ‘Member of the Month’. She doesn’t seem to have curtailed her madness for racing this past year and appears to be gaining momentum: Starting at the beginning of the month with two back-to-back international half marathons, Prague and Berlin, which saw her also complete the last race in the “Superhalf Series”. A difficult enough challenge per se, without all the travelling involved. Another week later and another half marathon, Newport was ticked from the list achieving a PB 2hr 07 mins. Then just 5 days later, she flew the flag for TRC at the Westonbirt 10K, with her first sub 60-minute and a PB of 57.04 mins. She rounded off the month impressively, upping her game to the marathon distance - pounding the streets of Manchester. We’d like to think that she may take a bit of a rest now, but knowing Jackie, we very much doubt it! Many congratulations, well deserved.
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May
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May Member of the Month goes to a runner yet to receive this award, ‘Lofty’ aka Ian Smith. An enthusiastic and regular Monday evening runner and an avid member of the Saturday morning breakfast group! No matter what the distance, a large traditional breakfast always tends to fill the hollow legs that propel him round. This year has seen him travel internationally, completing the Isle of Man and Berlin half-marathons. Berlin being the final race needed to complete his journey of the ‘Superhalf Series’. All this has been in preparation for the Classic Quarter Ultra Marathon from Lizard Point to Land’s End - 44 miles along the southwest coastal path which he completed in 12:11:54, a massive congratulations to Ian for this achievement and then move congratulations for becoming May’s Member of the Month.
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June
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Our Member of the Month for June is going to one of our very organised and efficient running members, Claire Gent. She regularly supports the club sessions, which can include the popular Saturday morning runs, sees her run anything from a local 5km, to joining some of the other club members travelling abroad for the half marathons. She is an active member of the committee - volunteering for the position of Welfare Officer which has found her becoming more involved with some of the secretarial duties. She has been instrumental in co-ordinating the distribution of supplies for the local Food Bank in Tewkesbury and has completed her 2nd successful stint as Volunteer Co-Ordinator for TRC in our local Parkrun last week. A real asset to our club, many congratulations Claire for the award this month.
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July​
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​ Our award for Member of the Month for July goes to another first timer, the very spritely Ollie Reichelt.
A welcome new addition to Tewkesbury Running Club. His enthusiasm for taking part in club races as either an individual or as a team player is admirable. He supports the club sessions where he can, he is an avid fan of Parkruns, and often participates within the group events - even cajoling his brave wife Gracie to start running... she even completed the Cross Country team for the women!
His running is improving month by month; July saw him take on the Wotton-under-Edge to Old Sodbury, Stage 8 of the Cotswold Way Relay with fellow twin Adam and despite a fall, completed the 12.1 mile course in 1.52 hr. He completed the end of the month with the club's annual away day at the Hillfort Hustle. Opting for the 5 mile event to finish in 3rd place overall and 1st place for V40 in a time of 49.29 mins. Anyone who took part in that, knows it was no mean feat! Many congratulations Ollie.
