Randburg Harriers Club Championships 2024
The road running calendars for 2024 have recently been finalised and published by the provinces, and several events are already taking entries. This has allowed Randburg Harriers to compile the calendar for the annual Club Championships for 2024. For those who are unfamiliar with the Club Championships, it works like this:
- We select a variety of events over distances of between 5 and 90 km as our Club Championship races. These are mainly road races, including the Comrades Marathon, but we also include one of our time trials, and a 5 km parkrun. They are spaced out over the year, and we try and choose events that are popular and well-known, are unlikely to be cancelled, and are situated reasonably close to Randburg, although for some events that isn’t always possible.
- The Club Championship is open to members in good standing of Randburg Harriers in the calendar year of the Club Championship.
- For each event, there is a trophy for the overall Club Champion (male and female), and awards are also made to competitors in each age group (from Junior through to Great Grandmaster, both male and female).
Wherever possible, we try to ensure that the Club Championship events are supported by having the club tent at the venue.
The Club Championship calendar, and the associated rules, are shown below. Please note that there have been some changes to the time trial event, and all Junior athletes will now compete over 5 km.
John Neale
Club Captain
The races that have been selected for the current year are as follows:
| Randburg Harriers Club Championship Events 2024 | ||
| Championship | Event | Date |
| 15 km | Varsity Kudus 15 km | Sat 06-Jan |
| 42.2 km (marathon) | Balwin Jeppe Marathon 42.2 km | Sun 11-Feb |
| 50 km ultramarathon | Trojan Om die Dam 50 km | Sat 16-Mar |
| 5 km parkrun | Alberts Farm parkrun | Sat 13-Apr |
| Comrades ultramarathon | Comrades Marathon 90 km | Sun 9-Jun |
| 21.1 km (half marathon) | Rockies Gersld Fox 21.1 km | Sun 14-Jul |
| 10 km | Pirates 10 km | Sun 15-Sep |
| 5 / 8 km time trial | Randburg Harriers Thursday evening 5 / 8 km time trial | Thu 10-Oct |
| 32 km | RAC 32 km Tough One | Sun 24-Nov |
The Club Championship Rules are as follows:
1. For each event, there is a trophy for the overall Club Champion (male and female).
2. Awards are also made to competitors in each age group (from Junior through to Great Grandmaster, both male and female).
3. Junior athletes must meet the age criteria specified for road running events by the provincial governing body, Central Gauteng Athletics.
4. For the time trial event, Junior athletes will compete over 5 km, and all Senior and age group athletes will compete over 8 km. Junior athletes must be 9 years or older on the day that the event takes place.
5. Competitors are required to compete in Randburg Harriers club colours, and to wear the appropriate age category tags (including at the parkrun and time trial events).
6. Competitors must be members in good standing of Randburg Harriers in the calendar year of the Club Championships.
7. Competitors are responsible for ensuring that they complete the entry forms (including on-line entry forms), tear-off slips or entry tags neatly, accurately and in full, so that their results are captured correctly.
8. Competitors must compete in the event on the route on the day of the race. Results from, for example, helpers' runs will not be considered. Results of any virtual events that may be offered by race organisers will also not be considered.
9. The results that are published by any website that the race organisers may employ will be used to determine the results of the Randburg Harriers Club Championship events.
10. If any of the chosen events are cancelled or postponed, that Randburg Harriers Club Championship event may be postponed, assigned to another event or, if no suitable event can be identified, it may be cancelled.
11. For the Comrades Marathon, trophies are awarded to the first athlete to finish, the first female athlete, the first novice athletes (male and female), and to all age group winners (from Senior through to Grandmaster, male and female). There is also a Hard Luck trophy, a Most Improved trophy, and a trophy for the youngest athlete to finish.
The Randburg Harriers Club Championships provides an opportunity for athletes of all ages and abilities to compete against their fellow club members. Traditionally, prize-winners have received a miniature trophy to commemorate their achievements, and in recent years, a high-quality certificate has also been awarded. Bragging rights are guaranteed to all the winners!
If you have any queries or questions regarding the annual Club Championships, please contact our Club Captain, John Neale.