Inspiring, Achieving, Inclusive, Supportive
“We aim to support, encourage & inspire our members on their own running journey regardless of ability or experience, by providing a friendly and inclusive environment.”
Gade Valley Harriers was founded in March 1991 and is a club organised by runners for runners. We like to think of it as a group of friends all sharing a common interest.
A Strengthening Community
Today we have a strong base of good quality runners and in recent times we have won team events ranging from the Herts Vets Cross Country Championships (2018), Herberts Hole first male team (2018), and previously the Berkhamsted Half Marathon on the road to the South Downs Marathon Relay over testing cross country routes.
We currently have around 150 members and we welcome adult runners of all abilities. There is a group to run with no matter what level you may be – from a beginner to someone who has run many marathons in your running career. There are many seasoned runners at the club so you won’t be short of someone to talk to no matter what level you are at.
We compete every year in the Chiltern League cross country series, many local road and off-road events and we also organise running trips away. There is a strong affinity to longer distance running within the club and off-road training in the summer months, though many of us also race over shorter distances such as the 5K and 10K.
The one thing that has always remained constant over the years at GVH is the friendliness of the club and the bond among its members. We pride ourselves on being one of the friendliest clubs around and you will always find someone to train with and swap stories and advice.
It’s not just about the running…
We have a very active social side to the club, ranging from race weekends to club organised events and anything in between!
For post-run refreshments we don’t need an excuse to celebrate and our location opposite the conveniently situated Steamcoach pub means you will often find many of us in there!
We also hold our much-loved fancy dress Pub runs every summer and with a different theme every year these are always well attended and well received by publicans between Tring and Boxmoor each July!
At the finish of our 2023 fancy dress pub run – at our local The Steamcoach
Thinking of joining us?
We are always looking for new members to join our community. We have a wide range of races, training sessions and social events to participate in.
Should you have any questions before joining, please check out our FAQs section!
Finally, if you’re ready to join us, please fill out a membership form by clicking the button below:
Who’s Who
Core committee members:
Victoria Crawley-Wise - Chair
I first joined the club 20 years ago, while getting ready to run my first marathon in 2005. What started as a way to train quickly became so much more. Gade Valley Harriers has been with me through breakups, job losses, and struggles with physical and mental health. But it’s also been there for new relationships, new roles, and amazing experiences.
At its heart, I believe Gade Valley Harriers is a place where people from all abilities and backgrounds are welcome, united by a shared love of running. One of the best examples of this is the pride I feel every time I put on my club vest and toe the start line of a muddy cross-country. It’s a race where we each push ourselves individually, but our efforts all contribute to the team’s result.
It’s an honour to serve as Chair for GVH and give back to the club I love.
Simon Morris- Men's Captain
I joined Gade Valley Harriers in the summer of 2022 with some previous experience but having not been part of a club since school. Lockdown reignited my love of running but it was quite a lonely experience and I found that, approaching my 40s, I wasn’t making any progress. The advice of those I spoke to was to join a local running club.
Over the next 18 months I have achieved a PB in every distance up to and including marathon. GVH has been instrumental in helping me achieve my goals and has introduced me to some wonderful, like minded people.
It is a truly inclusive club that helps runners of all abilities and I am happy to play a very small part in supporting others on their running journey.
Steve Newing - Treasurer
I have been with GVH since 2007 and in that time have run multiple marathons and various other road and cross country events. Since joining I have seen our training programmes go from strength to strength and this has helped me improve as a runner and achieve PBs that wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the club. I have been Treasurer now since 2013 and enjoy giving something back to the club!
Roland Kendall - Secretary
I’ve been with Gade Valley Harriers since 2019 and joined as a relatively inexperienced runner. Since I’ve been a member at the club, I’ve run 6 Marathons and 4 Ultra Marathons, including Race to the Stones 100km.
Gade Valley Harriers has helped me massively improve as a runner, become healthier and has a great inclusive community feel about it. In my role as secretary, I’m very happy to be contributing to the continued success of the club and helping its runners achieve their goals.
Kim Morgan - Women's Captain
I joined GVH after completing the ‘Learn to Run’ course in 2017 when my goal was to complete a Parkrun. Since then the club has supported me in running a variety of races including my first Marathon in 2020 and a Trail Ultra Marathon in 2022.
Whatever your pace, the social side of running with GVH is fantastic and you will see me at the club most Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I also enjoy participating in cross country and local club league races. Seeing runners achieving their goals and smashing their PBs at these events is incredible. I am very proud to be celebrating these achievements in my role as Women’s Captain.
Extended committee members:
Chrissy Mooney - Social Secretary
I have been a member of Gade Valley Harriers for over 3 years. I love been part of such a friendly running club and can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions I have ever made towards improving my fitness and developing my running. Through the support of the club I have been able to train successfully for different events including different half marathons and 2 marathons.
I think what makes our club so special is the support club members give each other, and the different events that the club organise for people to socialise together as friends.
Ines Trent - Kit Manager
Hi, I’m Ines – a spirited woman in her early forties, who has transformed her life through the joy of running. Despite starting this invigorating pursuit after the birth of my three children, I continuously strive to better myself. My journey began modestly – I graduated from a “Learn to Run” programme in 2019 which was hosted by Gade Valley Harriers, it was a milestone that marked a huge personal achievement. Since then running has blossomed into a passion that resonates with both my personal and professional goals. What began as a casual exercise to improve fitness soon transformed into a long-distance running adventure that exhilarates me every day. Now, as a dedicated running assistant coach, I lead the school’s running club where I work helping children, aged 8 to 11, find the same passion for running I have. I love cheering on young (and old!) athletes as they conquer each lap with determination. I would like to say that I embrace my role as a lifelong learner, constantly expanding my running knowledge and techniques. Whether it’s participating in workshops or discovering new running trails, I believe that learning never stops. I’m dedicated to both my own development and that of my young runners as well as club members maintaining that it’s never too late to pursue your passions.
Andy Newing - Website Manager
I have been a member of GVH since April 1991 just after it formed. I’ve run many events over the years both road (from 5K up to Marathon) and Cross Country events. I have a marathon PB of 3hrs 35mins and a 5K PB of 19mins 47secs. I’ve also run 80 Chiltern League cross country fixtures and many other challenging off-road events.I obviously have a great fondness for the Club and it’s ethos and background, which led me to serve as Men’s Captain for 5 years and Chairman for a further 5 years.
One of the roles I also undertook was maintaining the website and member database so following a year’s break from Committee roles I was very pleased to help out again with this new role and great new website.
Jane Phillipson - Comms Officer
I have been a member of Gade Valley Harriers for about 5 years, attending club sessions regularly and joining up with other members on a Saturday for longer runs. I consider myself to be an average mid pack, social runner; entering various running events for the personal challenge and the joy of taking part. I love to run and I love being part of this club. I’m very happy to support writing the newsletter, celebrating the success of the club members and managing the club’s social media.
Phil Mercer - Facilities Manager
Sam Raffety - Welfare Officer
I have been a member of Gade Valley Harriers since 2018 and can honestly say that joining GVH was the best decision that I have ever made. I joined the club as a fairly new runner and, to date, have now run four marathons and one ultra marathon. You will see me at most Tuesday and Thursday sessions and I also love to run with my fellow GVH friends at the weekend both at park runs and out on local trails. GVH has helped me nurture my love for running and improve my fitness. I am very proud to be a member of such a friendly and inclusive club. I am pleased to be able to give something back through my role as the Welfare Officer.
Leaders and Coaches
Head Coach
Edward Price - (Athletics Coach - Endurance)
Back in 2008 I joined Gade Valley Harriers as a slightly overweight middle aged man, who’d done a bit of running as a boy and now wanted to take it seriously again. The club gave me just the boost I needed and I soon started enjoying racing in club colours, taking on cross country fixtures, 10ks, half marathon and ultimately marathons. I loved the training environment and the esprit de corps of the changing room and so soon realised I wanted to give back to the club and take a more active part in it. So in 2013 I started to train as a Coach and since then have been responsible for the torture inflicted on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Always looking for new challenges, I designed our popular Learn to Run course, our annual Sports Day and also got the club’s competitive juices flowing by starting the Club League. I like nothing more to see runners getting PBs and achieving their goals and I am very proud to be a part of GVH.
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Ed is qualified as an England Athletics Coach (Endurance)
Supporting Coaches
Robert Bowler (CiRF)
As an office worker, I appreciate running and exploring our wonderful countryside and feeling the stress ebb away. Running is a great time to think too.
As a coach, I am very keen to support our Club’s regular learn to run programme, which helps new runners into our great sport. I also enjoy helping runners train for marathons…especially the all important first one when everything can feel so daunting.
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Robert is a qualified Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF)
Nick Crowther (LiRF)
Naomi Iles (LiRF)
When I was a student living in Bath I started running as a means of exploring the area. I started on a small section of old railway line behind my house, and before long I was travelling to the surrounding villages, hills, rivers and beyond. I love the routine of running regularly and being able to completely switch off from everything else. I also love getting home afterwards and having a cup of tea and a piece of cake.
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Naomi is a qualified Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF)
Gary Kingsley (LiRF)
Angeline Cottrill (Coaching Assistant)
I joined GVH in 2014. After being persuaded by a friend to run my first 10k, I wanted to improve and learn how to train properly. The first thing I felt was the amazing camaraderie amongst the team. Since then I have run 5 marathons (never thought I’d even run one!), many half marathons, 10ks, parkruns, cross-country and completed several triathlons. I am a qualified England Athletics Coaching Assistant and have a Level 2 safeguarding qualification. I am immensely proud to be part of a team of amazing women who inspire each other to reach their full potential. Seeing them train well and then go on to smash their personal bests is immensely satisfying. The social side of our club is equally fantastic and I’m very proud to be part of such a supportive, passionate team.
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Ines Trent (Coaching Assistant)
Hi, I’m Ines – a spirited woman in her early forties, who has transformed her life through the joy of running. Despite starting this invigorating pursuit after the birth of my three children, I continuously strive to better myself. My journey began modestly – I graduated from a “Learn to Run” programme in 2019 which was hosted by Gade Valley Harriers, it was a milestone that marked a huge personal achievement. Since then running has blossomed into a passion that resonates with both my personal and professional goals. What began as a casual exercise to improve fitness soon transformed into a long-distance running adventure that exhilarates me every day. Now, as a dedicated running assistant coach, I lead the school’s running club where I work helping children, aged 8 to 11, find the same passion for running I have. I love cheering on young (and old!) athletes as they conquer each lap with determination. I would like to say that I embrace my role as a lifelong learner, constantly expanding my running knowledge and techniques. Whether it’s participating in workshops or discovering new running trails, I believe that learning never stops. I’m dedicated to both my own development and that of my young runners as well as club members maintaining that it’s never too late to pursue your passions.
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Michelle Wells (LiRF)
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Michelle is a qualified Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF)
Anthony Fogden (LiRF)
Additional Club Roles
Simon Wallis - MTR Event Director
Vince Ellerby - Chief MTR Course Marker
Helen Terry - Club Handicap Leader
Lifetime Members
Paul Mosley
Paul (aka ‘Mo’) was Gade Valley Harriers Chairman between 2002-2013. He joined the club in 1993 and served as kit manager and press and comms officer before taking over as chair in 2002. He continues to be an integral part of the club and also goes under the name of ‘Shouty Man’ as he’s one of the club’s most vociferous supporters and can be seen flying the flag for GVH at the Cutty Sark every year at the London Marathon.
Paul was awarded lifetime membership in 2013 for services to the club following stepping down as Chair.
Helen Terry
Helen joined the club in 1993 as part of the junior training section that we originally had. She served on the committee for 10 years, during which time she was Kit Manager where she helped develop and widen the GVH kit range, and she also took on the critical role of Chief Marshal Co-ordinator for the Marathon Training Runs , which required an enormous amount of effort and persistence to recruit up to 50 marshals for the training runs. She continues to manage the club handicap runs, which she did whilst on the committee.
Helen was awarded lifetime membership in 2018 for services to the club following stepping down from the core committee.
Andy Newing
Andy was one of the earliest club members, first coming to the club in April 1991, the month after it was formed. He served as Men’s Captain from 2007-2010 and again in 2011-2013, before becoming Chair from 2013-2018. Over the years he has been instrumental in recording the results of club members, which date back to 2000 and was the key driver to bring GVH into the digital age, moving us to an online membership database and setting up our first website. He is a source of knowledge of all things GVH, as well as being an ardent ‘Baggies’ supporter.
Andy was awarded lifetime membership in 2018 for services to the club following stepping down as Chair.
Edward Price
Ed joined the club in 2008 and quickly established himself as a popular member and one of our best runners. He became Men’s Captain in 2013 and has been instrumental in establishing and driving forward the group structure, training regime and inclusivity that we had been striving to evolve for a few years, but it was Ed’s energy that saw us finally achieve this and push us onto a new level as a club.
In 2017 GVH created the role of Head Coach specifically for Ed to further this vision and among his many credits are creating and driving our Learn to Run course, our Club League and a new Annual Sports Day which involved everyone in the club and their Families. His enthusiasm, his attention to detail and continual support of runners of every ability with training schedules and expert advice has undoubtedly been a core factor of why the the club is what it is today.
Ed was awarded lifetime membership for outstanding services to the club at the 2023 AGM.
Club Constitution & AGM Minutes
We take the operation and management of a community based organisation seriously. As such we are completely transparent with our members when it comes to how your club operates.
To access and read the current club constitution or the minutes from the previous year’s AGM, please click the link below. This will open the documents in new windows.