In the best turn out for many years, twenty club runners lined up at the chilly start of the Stroud Half Marathon and some strong running produced two new age group records and a scattering of PB’s. Dave Bell was the first across the line in the last of our championship races but had to settle for a time of 1.15 well below his target of 1.11 after a stomach issue forced to slip from 3rd to 15th place as he walked twice in the closing stages. Next was the ever competitive Ian Barrett in 1.20 and Sophie Chudley in as 4th lady to take the Club FV40 Record in 1.22. Louis Nolan, Tim Ingham (back to road running to record a PB) and Ionel Iancu ran sub 1.41 and Kate Sackett’s 1.41.03 gave her 1st FV60 and a club record in her new age group. A returning to form Nicola Denning was close behind in 1.41.34. and Gary Wood achieved a new era PB as did Louise Horner-Baggs. Rob Tuttle and Jos Randall were both thrilled to stay comfortably sub 2 hours and Pam Wheeler clinched her club championship win with a strong 2.05 with Rachel Barrow just behind.
Stroud ½ Marathon, 13.1 miles road
1 Alex Lee (Cheltenham & County Harriers) 1.08.57 15 David Bell (Cirencester AC) 1.15.28 38 Ian Barrett 1.20.27 50 Sophie Chudley 1.22.09 – 4th lady, club FV40 record 99 Louis Nolan 1.27.35 208 Tim Ingham 1.33.52 396 Ionel Iancu 1.40.47 408 Kate Sackett 1.41.03 – 1st FV60, club FV60 record 425 Nicola Denning 1.41.34 533 Gary Wood 1.45.05 579 Gordon Jones 1.46.39 600 Karen Higuera 1.47.30 634 Louise Horner-Baggs 1.48.22 852 Rob Tuttle 1.55.51 912 Jocelyn Randall 1.57.40 952 Sarah Whitehouse 1.58.27 1115 Pam Wheeler 2.04.25 1135 Rachel Barrow 2.05.47 1361 Barbara Thomas 2.15.05 1518 Rachel Jones 2.26.16 1601 Paul Barrow 2.34.48 1693 finished.
Tom Purnell ran the famously tough Snowdonia Marathon and battled on with tired legs through the muddy final descent to achieve a time of 3.22 and a well earned 123rd position.
Snowdonia Marathon, 26.2 miles road
1 Callum Rawlinson (unattached) 2.34.15 (chip 2.34.14) 123 Tom Purnell (Cirencester AC) 3.25.35 (3.22.46) 2369 finished.
Paul Edrich led a small team round the Beachey Head marathon to finish his very first attempt at the distance in an impressive 4.36. Lara Tompson and Jill Hadland finished within seconds of each other in 4.54 and then the star of the day, Martin Croucher completed his 100th marathon in 5.13. All who battled gale force winds and over 1,000m of elevation were forced to wonder why Martin chose this tough marathon to complete his century and don the 100 Marathon Club tee shirt but bright sunshine and distant views certainly helped. David Moss, Jo Roberts and Alan Tompson all managed sub 6 hours despite varied levels of preparation and Liza Darroch and Rupert Chesmore were happy to still run the last mile after the soul sapping Seven Sisters to finish in 6.03(and with nearly 1000 still behind them) having run a marathon in York only 6 days earlier. Meanwhile Paul’s partner Nicola chose the somewhat shorter, but equally hilly, 10k route to squeak over the line in just under the hour and well up the field.
Beachey Head Marathon, Eastbourne, 26.2 miles trail
1 Luke Delderfield (Tring RC) 3.05.56 318 Paul Edrich (Cirencester AC) 4.36.34 492 Lara Tompson 4.54.42 494 Jill Hadland 4.54.49 699 Martin Croucher 5.13.31 937 David Moss 5.34.31 1014 Joanna Roberts 5.41.05 1145 Alan Tompson 5.53.02 1278 Liza Darroch 6.03.12 1279 Rupert Chesmore 6.03.12
2201 finished. Beachey Head 10km, trail
1 Euan Brown (East London Runners) 36.42 230 Nicola Wood (Cirencester AC) 59.14 820 finished.
More photos from Beachey Head to follow
Correction from last week: We told you that Nick Wall had broken Rupert's club V60 marathon record which, his chip time tells us he did but, as a club we use Gun time, and therefore Nick's time was some 7 minutes slower and Rupert's record still stands - sorry Nick - good reason to "keep on running"?
parkruns, 5km trail
Bad weather and high numbers preparing for the Stroud Half led to a very quiet week for parkruns. Ollie Campbell (JM15-17) was first at a much reduced Chippenham and Isobel Watt (JW11-14) was 12th at Cirencester. Numbers held up slightly better for the “last” Swindon parkrun before it becomes the Lydiard parkrun in order to make way for another parkrun in the town near Penhill. Parkrun tourists Alan and Rachel McAdam used the club trip to Beachey Head to try out the Eastbourne course but Neil and Henry Broadley (JM11-14) choose a more exotic seascape in Orlando, Florida.
Cirencester AC finishers: Cirencester: 12 Isobel Watt (J) 23.09, 31 Rachel Ranger 27.05, 67 finished Swindon: 137 Barbara Thomas 28.20, 300 finished Chippenham: 1 Ollie Campbell (J) 18.12, 128 finished Eastbourne: 44 Alan McAdam 24.02, 76 Rachel McAdam 26.14, 238 finished Clermont Waterfront, Orlando, USA: 27 Neil Broadley 23.45, 68 Henry Broadley (J) 30.06 151 finished
Comments