Running together since 1991.

Midhurst Milers has a proud history, and for a small town we’ve got plenty to shout about. We’ve been running Midhurst for more than 30 years and we’re still still going strong!

In 1991 Howard Bidmead, Richard Smith (Smiffy) and friends started to meet regularly in the reception of the old Grange Centre for a run. Word of the new run group spread, Smiffy recruited new members from his circuits class, Howard glued ‘MIDHURST MILERS’ on white vests and the running club was born.

In 1992 with the help of ‘60s running legend Gerry North, the club organised the first Midhurst 10k. The event raised the profile of the club and introduced local people to running and to the Milers.

In 1993 the still young club was invited to enter a mixed team into the South Downs Relay. Despite a gruelling experience in unusually bad June weather (in a mini-bus with a leaky roof) The 100 mile event became a club favourite that every member would train especially hard for.

My memories of club nights in the 1990s are of happy summer trail runs, good repartee and friendly rivalry between members. On club nights we would start together but the run would often break into an all-out race in the last couple of miles back to The Grange.

When Howard discovered a trail race in Seaton, Devon called The Grizzly it became a Milers weekend away. Howard liked Devon so much that he moved to the area and at his new club met our current Chairman, Nick Thorpe.

One club event was Smiffy’s sawdust run across Midhurst, Iping, Minsted and Stedham Commons. Members were put into pairs and faster pairs were given a time handicap. When runners arrived back at the Grange from every direction the prize was given to the team whose described route matched the one Smiffy would have laid, had he not run out of Sawdust just before Sunset Hill…

Smiffy died in 1996 while out on this route. This was a huge blow to a close-knit running club and the Milers still organise a Sawdust trail run every Christmas eve which is open to everyone in the town.

Many of the current members have direct links to the original Milers. Neil’s brother, Tim’s Dad and Colin’s wife were some of the original Milers and Nick is an old friend of Howard’s.

The Club is well known in the town and most people will know of someone who has been a member at some time.