Bourton juniors rise to challenge (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Bourton juniors rise to challenge

THE Crohns Disease Race, a charity run which took place at Cheltenham on May 26, provided the longest race yet for the junior members of Bourton Road Runners.

Nonetheless, they once again they all rose to the challenge. With pouring rain the order of the day, the course had to be changed at the last minute.

Instead of a muddy and slippery cross country trek, competitors faced a drier road route and a slightly longer course at 3.3 miles.

Bourtons first junior girl was 11-year-old Stephanie Lane who ran an amazing time of 22.59mins.

She also made her well-known running mother work hard to beat her, with Ali managing to sneak ahead and win by just under a minute!

The clubs next junior girl, who also ran an incredible time of 24.40, was ten-year-old Brittany Teague. Only half-a-lap behind Stephanie, she looked strong all the way.

Her nine-year-old brother, Conor, was by no means out-performed, He produced a strong finish to not only run a time of 26.17 but, more importantly, also beat his mother!

Next junior club member was Amy Castleton-White, who has become a familiar face on the junior race circuit. She once again ran well to finish under 30 minutes in a time of 29.53.

And Tom Coleman displayed true Bourton Road Runners grit when he hobbled round with a foot injury but still completed the course. He was lifted by the cheers of the crowd as he entered the stadium and finish strongly.

Results are as follows: Alison Coldrick (first lady) 22.02, Stephanie Lane (first junior girl) 22.59, Carolyn Coleman 23.43, Brittany Teague 24.40, Conor Teague 26.17, Pauline Teague, Amy Castleton-White 29.53, Thomas Coleman.

The White Peaks Marathon, held on May 26, saw the 26-mile specialists, Steve Humphries and John Gibson, in action again, running their 97th and 94th marathons respectively.

On the 25th year of this race, they lined up with 100 other starters. The terrain took them along a railway track with 22 miles of steady uphill climbing and then the last few miles downhill. It made for a challenging course.

The breezy conditions, with cold showers at times, did nothing to help, so they did well to finish in a time of 3hrs 43mins.

Fairford 10k On Sunday, June 2, 13 club members competed in the annual Fairford 10k.

This club and county series saw hot and humid conditions and a tough undulating course.

For many, the heat meant that times were an irrelevance, but good positions brought important points.

Winning the race to retain his title was Dennis Walmsley in a slightly slower time of 33mins.

Behind him a battle for points in the mens competition was strong, but Ian MacDougal was the next clubman to finish.

Steve Humphries, in a week off from marathon running, worked hard to beat his regular rival Richard Bufton, gaining a lead of just over one minute by the end.

This combined effort meant that the club won the mens team prize. Next came John Rapier who had to dig deep to overtake Norman Lane on the hill to come in a minute ahead of him.

They were followed across the line by Julia Kelly, coming back from an injury and pleased to finish the course without problems, in a respectable time of 45.40.

There was a battle between Dennis Abbotts and Gill Wilkie, with Dennis having to work hard to cross the line ahead of Gill by just 15 seconds.

Gill was pleased, though, to have just beaten Jonathan Wilson who had worked hard throughout, shaving two minutes off last years time. Liz Hulcup and Jane Blackwell decided against battling the heat and enjoyed a walk around the course.

Although they achieved personal worst times they probably had more fun than everyone else!

Results as follows: Dennis Walmsley (first) 33.00, Ian MacDougal 38.14, Steve Humphries 38.56, Richard Bufton 40.00, John Rapier 41.00, Norman Lane 42.10, Julia Kelly 45.40, Dennis Abbotts 53.30, Gill Wilkie 53.47, Jonathan Wilson 54.00, Liz Hulcup 75.00, Jane Blackwell 75.00.

Whilst the adults were competing in the 10k, Brittany Teague was winning the junior girls section in the 3k fun run.

In an impressive time of 13.05mins, she came second overall in the female race to retain her title for the second year in a row. She will be back next year to hoping get the hat-trick like Dennis!

Two first-timers also did well. Thomas Hay ran brilliantly to come 22nd in the junior boys race (8-11s) and Natalie Lane showed that running is definitely in her blood when she also completed the 3k race at the age of seven.