Background<\/b><\/p>\n
Now in its twenty-somethingth year, the \u2018Winter Mondays\u2019 series of road and trail races provide the perfect antidote to the commencement of the winter working week. The combination of regular on and off-road \u2018chasing start\u2019 races are an excellent way to gain or maintain fitness through the winter months, to add leg speed, and\/or to gain more confidence in night-time navigation and racing.\u00a0 You’ll find a full listing of upcoming races at Winter Mondays – dates and races<\/a>, with individual race details uploaded to the club calendar.<\/span><\/p>\n Off-road trail races use a variety of departure points to the west and north-west of the city; many of which will be familiar to members. There\u2019s nothing especially difficult here in terms of navigation, although some sections of some routes may benefit from a daylight recce, and a fair amount of descriptive detail is included in the calendar entry for each race to assist the newbie, as well as links to individual race maps clearly showing the line and direction of travel.\u00a0 It\u2019s also absolutely fine to run in pairs if you\u2019d prefer some company.<\/span><\/p>\n Road races are run every third week from Bolsterstone Church or Low Bradfield.\u00a0 This year we’ll trial the option to run all road races in whichever direction you prefer.<\/span><\/p>\n Start times for both varieties of race are between 6pm and 6.30pm – typically the slow and more infirm from 6pm onwards, with the chasing pack leaving at regular intervals thereafter, and series whippets setting off around 6.30pm.<\/span><\/p>\n If all goes to plan, this should result in a more or less competitive chasing finish.\u00a0 There\u2019s also a special dispensation for the over 70s, who are welcome to set off at any time that suits on the relevant Monday (please email your time to the RO by 9pm the same day).<\/span><\/p>\n Kit and safety<\/b><\/p>\n Trail races – full FRA kit must be carried as a minimum as well as a head torch, and a mobile phone in case of emergency and\/or torch battery failure.<\/span><\/p>\n Road races – reflective vests and head torches must be worn.\u00a0 Please also carry a mobile phone in case of mishap.<\/span><\/p>\n Please sign yourself in before you set off, and add your self-recorded race time at the finish, using the R.O.\u2019s shiny black clipboard (which you should find secured to the front\/back of a slightly battered blue Skoda Roomster).\u00a0 Willy Kitchen, the R.O., will always wait at the finish until everyone who has signed in has returned safely, and he\u2019s also happy to make a note of your mobile phone number, and an emergency contact number in case of mishap, if you\u2019re willing to share this.\u00a0 If you were to go off-piste, on either trail or road race, you would certainly not be the first to have done so.<\/span><\/p>\n Carsharing<\/b><\/p>\n Please do keep an eye on announcements on the DP website, facebook page, and club WhatsApp groups – including a Winter\/Summer Series group created for precisely this purpose.\u00a0 Willy will aim to publish individual race results (calculated as a % of the winner\u2019s time) within 24-hours or so of each race, so you can all keep your eyes firmly fixed on the vagaries of race bonuses (awarded for bettering your preceding race result), and their impact upon the<\/span> current series standings<\/span><\/a> (using your best twelve results, including a maximum of four road races as counters).<\/span><\/p>\n Current\/past series results<\/b><\/p>\n 2026\/27 series standings<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n