About The Hilton Harriers

Our weekly run is called the Jog and Grog and “it started one Thursday evening back in October 1971 when a small group of runners set out from Crossways hotel to run to Hilton College and back. Most of the runners had been running independently but were bought together on this particular run by Gillie Hay” in the words of Gavin Elliot. The actual term “Jog and Grog” was coined during a session in the Crossways pub when the runners present felt that a motto that suitably described their chosen hobby was required. We love running in the forests around Hilton when we meet every Thursday night for our social club run; which leaves from The Junction Pub / Old Main Brewery formerly know as Crossways in Hilton at 5:30pm. This run usually takes an hour and is about 8km in length. We usually meet in the pub for a drink and supper after the run. On the last Thursday of the month we run a 4 or 8km time trial from Cowan Road (opposite the Hilton Hotel) at 5:30pm in summer and in winter a similar route from the commonage in Hilton Gardens near the new Hilton Life Hospital.

We are a small club and deliberately so trying to keep it that way with a current membership stable at around 120 members. We are a group of people bought together by our love of running and united by the camaraderie and the fellowship that brings. We are not a club for people who just want to have a running number; we are a club for runners who want to share their running with like minded runners. We will welcome anybody who wants to come and run with us.

Hilton Harriers hosts the Ronnie Dave Memorial Run which is an annual event and the opening run of the KZN Road Running Calendar. Its inception was on 16 September, 1973 and is run in the memory of Ronnie Davel who was one of the original members of The Hilton Harriers. The Ronnie Davel Memorial run is a 16km loop taking runners through the pretty village of Hilton and into the Mondi forest. The 6km Fun Run/Walk around Laddsworth Primary School and the grounds of St Anne’s Diocesan School is proving to be very popular with participants and has been well supported in the last couple of years.

Highlights of our running year include Cross Country where we are often on the podium with our club being well represented in the KZN and SA Champs, as well as the Comrades Marathon and other marathons leading up to it, Trail Runs and Multi-day events. There are also a number of internal club events planned such as our Comrades Auction, Club quiz evening, Reverse Time Trial Time Challenge, The Hic n Hurl,Golf day as well as relevant speakers through out the year.