I am not very good at running downhill, so I try and find uphill races to work into my Summer holidays. This year we headed for South Tyrol in Italy to attempt the Stelvio Trail half marathon. It starts in Prad am Stilfserjoch (915 m) and finishes at the top of the Stelvio Pass (2845m) The race is along mountain paths. All my YouTube research did not prepare me for some of the drops alongside the trail! We passed through the steep mountain village of Stilfs (Stelvio), headed past the Fragges game reserve, and climbed to the Prader Alm and Furkelhütte. The high-alpine finale follows the spectacular Goldseeweg Trail, completely bypassing the standard asphalt road offering continuous views of Mount Ortler. The race finished right above the famous Stelvio mountain pass at the Dreisprachenspitze peak (2,845 m). At an average gradient of 10% for 21K there were plenty of walk breaks! I spent 95% of the race race enjoying myself, feeling thankful and 5% of the race thinking; "What the hell am I doing here?!" I managed to finish in 3 hours 38 minutes. I would thoroughly recommend the race as long as you don't mind heights, it's only 21K! Here is a video of this year's race (Look out for the Fleet & Crookham top at 42 seconds...

Our Summer Handicap series runs across a 9.3km offroad route, starting and finishing at the Peter Driver Sports Ground. See the Strava route HERE. These timed monthly events involve runners setting off at intervals, based on their last effort across the course, or their predicted 10K finish time if new to the Handicap. The fastest runners set off last and the basic idea is that everyone finishes at roughly the same time. The series involves a system of points - the higher you finish, the more points you score - and these are totalled up across the series so that we have a winner and runners-up by the end of it. A fantastic way to race with your club mates and an event that really can be won by anyone, here are the latest results: 2026 Summer Series Race 1: 23 April, 2026 - Sunny and clear Race 2: 21 May, 2026 - Warm and dry Race 3: 18 June, 2026 - Warm and dry Race 4: 23 July, 2026, Hot

Hallie shares her experience of taking part in the Vets Track & Field League on Monday in Aldershot: It was great to watch the races last Monday and compete in a few myself. This time’s events were: 2k walk, 200m, 800m and 3k runs, 4x200m relay then for the field events: shot, discus & long jump for the women plus discus, triple jump and javelin for the men. Everyone from F&C was wonderful but, I have to say, Julia was sensational! She entered as many events as she could possibly fit in and did so well in her heats too – amazing stuff! I found it such an inclusive experience. No matter how bad I was (haha!) there was cheering and encouragement not only from our own team but also from anyone in the vicinity watching. While waiting for the 200m event to get set up, I witnessed long jump technique advice being given out from one club person to a direct competitor from another – love it! These events are always really friendly and I felt such a warm sense of camaraderie. A good few races were not represented by our club so there’s plenty of scope for others to get involved in anything you fancy – you don’t have to be Olympic standard! If you did high jump, shot or 100m etc at school and fancy a try then come along to one or more of next season’s meetings. They cater for all shapes and sizes - if I can do it with my short legs then you definitely can! Everyone gets a minimum of one point per race or event meaning the more representation we have, the more points we get no matter where we finish. I certainly felt no pressure. Generally, the F&C men’s team is lacking about 3 or 4 competitors each time which also means there aren’t enough participants to enter the relay. The women’s team seems to be better supported but there are still quite a few events not represented by us. F&C Team (minus 3 who were warming up for the 3km event) So, please, please, please, consider participating next year – you’ll love it! There are just 4 meetings (even just pop along for one or two of them). There’s one a month in April, May, June & July at a different location each time.

Do you love the Fleet 10km and Half Marathon and want to see them continue? Are you good at admin and have some spare time that you can give the club to secure the future of the races? You don't need to be a club member, just someone who loves our races and wants to give something back to your community. If the answer to the question is yes, we'd love you to volunteer as a Marshal Coordinator for us. Our flagship Club races, the Fleet 5/10K and Fleet Half Marathon, both rely on many volunteers to make them happen. The largest number of these are our course marshals, who are out there whatever the weather at every key road junction to ensure the safety of the runners. This is a vital role without which neither event could take place. Our marshals have to be: Recruited (by email from our database of previous volunteers and elsewhere) Allocated to suitable positions on the course Individually briefed (by email) and provided with a high-viz bib and lanyard for the day This process starts 2-3 months before each race and finishes with the analysis of feedback after it is over. The recruitment process is spread over many weeks so is not intensive, but the later stages do require a lot of attention over the 2 weeks before each event. If you would like to find out more and have an informal chat, please email marshals@fleetandcrookhamac.club

On Saturday 18th July around 24 club members/family went to the Novuna London Athletics Meet/Diamond League at the London Olympic Stadium and they witnessed a fantastic afternoon of track and field. With a sell out crowd of 60,000 spectators, the atmosphere was electric. With events ranging from inter-club 100m relays, para athletes showcasing disability sport, top international level track running and field events and being there to witness Josh Kerr smash the Mile world record, it was an afternoon that saw lots of smiling, cheering and appreciation of the talent that was on show. Visiting the Olympic Stadium always brings back fantastic memories from London 2012 where I had the absolute privilege of volunteering on the track with the Athletics squad - it makes me smile. Meeting my favourite athletes, making sure that all of the events ran smoothly and witnessing history in the making. Can it really be 14 years ago? Before the action started If you get the chance to go to an athletics event at the stadium, make sure you go - you won't regret it. Look out for the next time the club takes a trip up there.

Last Wednesday night at the track was the culmination of an 8-week professional training plan for "A Faster 5k". A huge group of all abilities were on the start line to do 12.5 laps - which seemed rather daunting to me, preferring trail runs to laps on a track. But it wasn't the mental mountain I thought it would be. There was music pumping on both sides of the track that momentarily made you sing along to the tunes and forget the heat, the sweat and the seemingly never-ending laps. The laps were eaten up fairly quickly, probably because I lost count after about four of them. Who can actually run and count laps accurately?! I didn't get a PB this time (I blame the heat & humidity), but I still felt like I'd won because the training plan certainly made me fitter than I was, it gave me a structure I'd never had before and I really enjoyed it, and I was running with so many friends. And the drinks provided at the end were welcomed by everyone! TOP NIGHT.

Sunday 12th July was once again very hot. Even though there was a breeze the sun's rays and the parched earth made for hot running. Beat The Boat is a multi-terrain 10km event starting in Brocas fields in Eton. The course is set under the beautiful backdrop of Windsor castle and is a flat but twisty 10km run. Whilst most of the course follows the Thames path there are some sections that border fields and take you away from the water. This gives the boats time to turn around - the boats do their route in 40, 50, 55, 60 and 70 minutes and you pick the one you want to beat back. A fun element is that your supporters can book their place on the boats. You get a great bespoke medal, a t-shirt and it is something a bit different. The race is organised by Runface with the help of Datchet Dashers and 2027 is going to be the 10th anniversary - definitely one to put in the diary! 3 members of the club braved the hot weather and took on the challenge. Penny finished 4th lady overall and 1st Vet 50.

Our junior athletes put in a strong team performance at the third Wessex League meet of the season at Woking on 28 July, with competitors across the age groups delivering personal bests and hard-fought performances across a busy day of track and field action. Athletes from the club’s youngest age groups through to the U18s all played their part, with several posting season’s bests and others taking on new challenges with real determination. As ever, the standout of the day was the support shown by teammates, coaches, and parents pitchside, with coaches praising the effort and attitude across all age groups, particularly from athletes competing in new events for the first time. Quad Kids The under 12s / 10s had a standout day, with the boys finishing third and the girls winning their event for the second time this season. Well done to Charlie (6) and Jessie (7) for securing top 10 finishes in the boys event whilst Marcey (1) Bonnie (6) and Matilda (7) all finished inside the top 10. Track There were strong track performances from all of the juniors on the day with huge progression shown as the season develops. Luke in the 200m (b), Chimdiebube in the 75mh (g), Leah in the 100m (g), Emma in the 200m (g) and an excellent second place in the U14s g 4x100m were some of the highlights. Field There was a really fantastic set of results in the field events where the throwing and jumping disciplines are really progressing. Chimdiebube and Leah both finishing in the top 6 in the long jump whilst Amelia finished 4th in the Javelin. For the boys, Noah finished 2nd in the high jump and the proceeded to jump well in the long jump supported by Eadon. In the U16 boys Calum had a very good high jump for the U16s and Seb finished up with a fantastic javelin effort. Our juniors next travel to Swindon on 12 July, where the squad will look to build on their latest performances.

Running is a huge passion of mine. I run for fun and to stay fit, both mentally and physically, but I also love racing and challenging myself at events every now and then. I’m a real sun worshipper, so I’ve loved getting out for runs in the warm weather we’ve been lucky enough to have recently, I’m definitely not a fan of the cold! I’ve never once finished a run and thought, “I wish I hadn’t done that.” In fact, I always feel so much better after lacing up my running shoes and getting out the door. F&C is a friendly, supportive, and welcoming club. Whether you’re just starting out, returning to running, or chasing a new PB, you’ll always find encouragement and plenty of smiles along the way. So… what are you waiting for? Come and join us! We’d love to welcome you! Corinne x

Words by Mike Hegesippe Alder Valley was a new venue in the Southern League Cross Country competition, added late in the calendar due to cancellations earlier in the season because of flooding. The pressure was intense on our runners as we were standing 1st in the league before this event, and we knew that due to Alder Valley being on Easter Sunday it was always going to be difficult to have a big turnout We had a few hiccups before the start and uncertainty as to who would be taking part because 3 car parks were suggested on the league website but it turned out that one indicated as 15 minutes away was more like 50 minutes away from the venue (15 minutes by car, not by foot after you’d parked!). I nearly got caught with that one myself but checked Google map and could see that one car parks seemed quite far, so I headed for the main one in the park instead. Finally with 10 minutes to spare everyone due to attend was there ready to start. 18 people in total represented the club, 11 men, 7 ladies. Not bad for an Easter Sunday and a venue 50 miles away from Fleet! It was sunny and slightly on the cool side. Perfect weather for running, though maybe not for those who like the mud. In contrast to a few weeks before it was very dry under foot. But with dry ground came another challenge, at least for me. A lot of grass running, particularly in the first ½ mile, and some fear of stepping in a rabbit hole and flying over face first onto the ground! It was not the usual Southern cross country run. No woodland, just park paths and grass. It looked more like the kind of venue that we find in the Hampshire League, run on Saturdays. Zig-zagging our way round the park The route itself looks like a complicated zigzag when looking at it on a map. The organisers managed to fit a 5+ miles route in quite a small park but all credit to them it did not feel too much that you were just zigzagging back to the same spots when you were running it, and it was very enjoyable. F&C showed their intention by starting fast with Aaron taking the lead right from the start. In the end the men secured 4 places in the top 10 men. Ewan 5th, Aaron 6th, Stevyn 8th and Richard 10th. The ladies also had strong finishers with 4 F&C athletes in the top 20. Becky 7th, Penny 10th, Jolene 15th and Debbie 17th. Winning team for the race day Quickly the results came. F&C had won the whole 2025-2026 Southern Cross Country League, and won outright 4 of the 5th events in the season! That’s what you call domination. What a team we have at the moment! Winning this league is something that we had not achieved as a club for 20 years! In fact it was so long ago that only 1 person who ran any race in the 2025-2026 season had also competed for f&c the last time we won 20 years ago. Penny managed to do it twice for the club! And she even managed to score in multiple events on both occasions, 20 years apart - superb achievement! Congratulations to everyone for a fantastic achievement in the final event at Alder Valley, and the whole Southern league!

Congratulations to Peter Field who romped home to first place in the 2025/26 Winter Handicap Series with a whopping total of 31 points. Hallie Lisle took a well deserved second place with 23 points and Charles Convery claimed the last step on the podium with 16 points. The fastest run of the series for the men was completed by Stevyn Mills with a time of 29:00, just five seconds faster than Matt Jarvis (29:05) and a minute ahead of Euan Heaney in third spot (30:01). Rebecca Barnett claimed the speed title for the women with a time of 36:56, with Penny Abbott in second place (38:33) and Debbie Mangan just seven seconds further back in third (38:40). Congratulations everyone, and a huge thank you to the series timekeepers, Bob and Merv , who turned up in all weathers, armed with stopwatches and clipboards. Their dedication is incredible and the series simply wouldn't happen without them. Now, as the evenings get lighter, we turn our attention to the Summer Handicap Series. Peter Field (far right) claimed 1st place, with Hallie Lisle (second right) second and Charles Convery (second left) third. Bob (left) and Merv (front) were our stalwart timekeepers.

Our Winter Handicap race follows a circular route around Fleet, starting and finishing at the Crookham Park Community Centre. View the Route on Strava HERE. These timed monthly events involve runners setting off at intervals, based on their last effort across the course, or their predicted 10K finish time if new to the Handicap. The fastest runners set off last and the basic idea is that everyone finishes at roughly the same time. The series involves a system of points - the higher you finish, the more points you score - and these are totalled up across the series so that we have a winner and runners-up by the end of it. A fantastic way to race with your club mates and an event that really can be won by anyone, here are the latest results 2025/26 Series Race 1: 15 September, 2025 Race 2: 23 October, 2025 Race 3: 20 November, 2025 Race 4: 22 January, 2026 Race 5: 19 February, 2026 Race 6: 12 March, 2026 2024/25 Series The 2024/25 Series saw five races completed over the course of the winter, with some fierce competition throughout. 2023/24 Series The 2023/24 Winter Handicap series was the first to use the current route. 2022/23 Series The 2022/23 Series was the last to use the old Winter Handicap route, skirting around Velmead Woods and venturing up King's Road before returning via the lengthy Aldershot Road. 2021/22 Series The 2021/22 series included a whopping 7 races!