Two local favourites but no Ciren parkrun

Kate, Barbara, Ruth, Colin and Clare just before they got to the bar - but where was Martin?

6th August, Cranham Boundary Race, 5.6 miles, road

The weekend’s racing got underway on a sunny Friday evening with the Cranham Boundary Race. Reputed to be the oldest organised race in Gloucestershire, today’s sanitised road race uses a circuit through the woods near Birdlip rather than following the parish boundary which, apparently, involved competitors climbing ladders to scale the roof of the Foston’s Ash pub. It remains a tough course starting and ending with punishing hills but most agreed that joining the Cranham Village Feast with its Tug of War, Children’s races, bar and free venison rolls made it worth it.

Martin Croucher brought the first red and white vest across the line to be followed by Colin Tapley and Kate Sackett. This race forms part of the Gloucestershire AAA Road Championships so Kate’s age group win and Colin, Ruth and Barbara’s age group seconds will all have earned valuable points.

1 Steve Kenyon (Gloucester AC) 32.38

15 Martin Croucher (Cirencester AC) 40.08

27 Colin Tapley 43.44 – 2nd MV55

37 Kate Sackett 45.49 – 1st LV60

66 Ruth Fulford 55.31 – 2nd LV70

70 Barbara Thomas 58.26 – 2nd LV65

72 Clare Tapley 1.02.01 75 finished

8th August, Standish Woodland Chase, 10 miles, multi-terrain

Sunday saw another local favourite in the Standish Woodland Chase which takes runners from Stonehouse up a steep and winding road and round two laps of Standish Woods. The woodland tracks, which include sections of the Cotswold Way were in perfect, firm condition for running, enabling James Thomas to fly round to finish in a fine 2nd place in just over the hour. Alex Banks went well and finished 10th. Andy Hindson, who has quietly completed the West Highland Way and The Lakes 50 in recently months, found the faster pace required over such a “short” distance challenging. He was followed by an every improving and increasingly intrepid Jos Randall with Rupert Chesmore and Tanya Everett following and Liza Darroch bringing up the rear.

1 Chris Mcmillan (Weston Athletic Club) 57.43

2 James Thomas (Cirencester AC) 1.01.03

10 Alex Banks 1.07.48

39 Andy Hindson 1.23.17

55 Jocelyn Randall 1.28.46

67 Rupert Chesmore 1.32.35

81 Tanya Everett 1.37.25

95 Liza Darroch 1.45.59 113 finished

7th August, parkrun, 5k, trail

Thanks to a vehicle heavy event at the RAU, the Cirencester parkrun did not take place this week (nor will it next) but club members were busy elsewhere. Young Joseph Stickney ran the fastest time this week with an impressive 21.09 at Pocket. Nea Sneddon-Jenkins was next with 22.15 at Tetbury and she, and the incorrigible Kate Sackett (despite having raced the previous evening and the Bugatti 10k looming on Wednesday), were both 2nd female in their respective events. Paul Timms also ran well at Tetbury where he was followed by Peter Rowland and Neil Broadley. Brendan Mccarthy had a go at Stroud and Richard Edwards came home to Cheltenham.

Stonehouse parkrun

1 Matt Hudd (Unattached) 18.05

12 Kate Sackett (Cirencester AC) 23.23 – 2nd Female 89 finished

Cheltenham parkrun

1 Joseph Palmer (Unattached) 17.30

251 Richard Edwards (Cirencester AC) 28.47 470 finished

Pocket parkrun

1 Jared Taylor (Unattached) 18.36

14 Joseph Stickney (Cirencester AC) 21.09 166 finished

Tetbury Goods Shed parkrun

1 Jonathan Jamieson (Unattached) 16.52

12 Nea Sneddon-Jenkins (Cirencester AC) 22.15 – 2nd Female

16 Paul Timms 23.08

36 Peter Rowland 25.43

94 Neil Broadley 37.06 99 finished

Stratford Park parkrun, Stroud

1 Nathan Overthrow (Unattached) 20.04

29 Brendan Mccarthy (Cirencester AC) 29.20

70 finished