|

Track and Field Athletics

The Track and Field Athletics season runs through the spring/summer.  If it’s your first time, don’t panic.  Please talk to the coaches and we’ll recommend what’ll suit you best.  It’s very much a team thing and fun to do together with your Harrier pals.

We have a number of England Athletics qualified coaches who’ll be delighted to give you coaching in track, jumps or throws if you’d either like to try something out or improve your skills.

Juniors

We enter a Harriers junior team into the Oxfordshire Track and Field League each year  (Oxfordshire Track and Field League – A development league for young athletes in Oxfordshire (otfl.org.uk))  

There are usually three fixtures. Fixtures – Oxfordshire Track and Field League (otfl.org.uk)

2026  Events from 19 April – 6 September – Oxfordshire Track and Field League

  • Sunday 19th April, Oxford
  • Sunday 16th August, Banbury
  • Sunday 6th September, Abingdon

Events

Each competition will have a range of events for the competitors.

  • For Under 9 & Under 11’s they have the ‘Quad Kids’ (inc 75m, 600m, Long Jump & Vortex)
  • For U13’s, U15’s & U17, there are a range of events to choose from inc 100m, 200m, 800m, 1500m, Relay, Hurdles, High Jump, Long Jump, Discus, Javelin & Shot Putt.

OJL Rules for 2025 season can be seen here: League Competition Rules 2025  Athletes age categories are taken from the 31st Aug 2025.  E.g. if you are still 10 years old on the 31st Aug, you are classed as U11.

Helpers

We will need parent/helpers at each of the fixtures to help out the organizers with things like Long Jump, etc.  Please let us know if you’re able to help out, as it’ll make your afternoon as a spectator much more interesting.

Details

More details of the events, timings, etc can be found at the Oxfordshire Track and Field League – A development league for young athletes in Oxfordshire webpage.

Please contact simonmarcleech@gmail.com to register for the team, ask any questions and volunteer to help on the day.

Seniors

If you haven’t run on the track since school, Open Graded meetings are a fantastic (re)introduction to Track & Field.

Athletes estimate their finish time when they enter.  Each distance (100m, 400m, etc) may have four or five different races.  Athletes of a similar finish time are grouped together in a race.  For example, the first 1500m race may be of runners with estimated finish times between 5m.40s – 6m.20s – so you compete with runners of a similar pace.

As races are based on pace, not age or gender, everyone has enjoyed the novelty of mixing it up with the juniors and seniors.  The competitive juniors will attend nominated ‘Open Meeting’ with coach, Tom King.

Field events are also part of the fun!  Jumps (high, long, triple, pole) and Throws (hammer, shot, discus, javelin) all add to the atmosphere.

2026 Open Fixtures

Cheltenham Midsummer Open Graded Meetings (7pm-9pm): 

  • Following Wednesdays in JULY at Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham (1st July, 8th July, 15th July & 22nd July) 

Oxford City AC (Horspath) Open Graded Meeting & now called the ‘Oxon and Bucks Midweek Open’ 

WEDNESDAYS 6pm-9pm:

22nd April;  20th May;  17th June;  

15th July;  26th August;  16th September

If you are intrigued, but nervous, you’ll be in good company!  Please talk to the RunLeaders & Coaches who will be happy to put together a ‘try-out’ as a confidence builder.  If you have questions about how it works please join the conversation on our FB page.

Please note the Opens Graded meetings require you to enter individually.  You’ll find entries forms on the links* (*2026 links not yet available as of 24.2.26)

Masters Series

Men & Women Vets (over 35) have the opportunity to compete in the local Southern Counties Veterans Athletics League. We compete with 7 other local clubs in the SCVAC Western Division: Oxford AC; Abingdon AC; Radley AC; Newbury AC; Swindon AC; Reading Road Runners and Reading AC.  There are 3 age categories: Over 35, Over 50, and Over 60.  Points are awarded for participation, so the more competitors we have in our teams the better our chances of scoring well. The club pays the affiliation fees for our teams to participate in the vets league, so this is a great way to try track and field athletics in a friendly encouraging atmosphere. 

2026 VETS League Fixtures

Please contact Vets Team Managers Chris Wilder and Kathryn Leech, if you are interested or have any questions. 

W50 Long Jump

Coaching

We have a number of England Athletics qualified coaches who’ll be delighted to give you coaching in track, jumps or throws.  Please let us know if you’d either like to try something out or improve your skills.

800m

Dick