Cirencester Athletics and Triathlon Club

London Marathon, 26.2 miles road

SIMON CAMPBELL (821st) led four club members around the iconic London Marathon which was founded by a small but visionary group including Cirencester club coach David Wright 36 years ago. This year it passed one million finishers.

The mass event in 2016 had some 39,000 entrants which poses its own set of logistical and running challenges and split times show just how hard it is to retain the even pace essential for achieving ambitious times.

Despite dedicated and demanding training, three Cirencester runners were left disappointed with Nick Wall frustratingly only 37 seconds over his target.

Although this pales into insignificance when compared to the winner Eliud Kipchoge’s disappointment on finishing seven seconds shy of the world record.

RESULTS: 1, Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:03.04 (course record); 821, Simon Campbell 2:49.45; 2,946, Mark Sysum 3:08.13; 12,799, Rachel Barber-Brock 3:55.59; 14,474, Nick Wall 4:00.36. 39,140 finished.

Shakespeare Half-Marathon, Stratford-u-Avon, 13.1 miles road

DAVE BELL showed he is coming back to form by finishing third in the Shakespeare Half-Marathon with a time a couple of minutes short of his best.

RESULTS: 1, Alasdair Russell (Kendal AC) 1:10.38; 3, David Bell 1:11.42; 972, Paul Sabin 2:00.23; 1,004, Daphne Hazell 2:02.27. 1,842 finished.

The Fellsman, Ingleton, 61 miles trail

ANDY HINDSON had a great run in The Fellsman knocking an hour off his previous best time despite wet ground and freezing flurries of snow which saw the winning and average times tumble. The route which takes in various Yorkshire climbs including Ingleborough and Great Whernside will always be a tough one.

RESULTS: 1, Konrad Rawlik (Carnethy) 11hr 31min; 61, Andy Hindson 17hr 52min. 312 finished Offa's 'Orror, Offas Dyke, Tintern, Wye Valley, 20km trail KEITH FIRKIN gained an age group placing when, characteristically, a lone club member taking part in the Offa’s ‘Orror.

RESULTS: 1, Daniel Bodman (Aberdare) 1:19.29; 48, Keith Firkin 1:44.57 (third MV50). 231 finished.

Parkruns

FOLLOWING on from London’s one million finishers it was appropriate that Cirencester AC celebrated 1,000 parkrun finishers and even more appropriate that the honour went to our most active parkrunner Barbara Thomas competing in Swindon.

Also in Swindon, Gordon Jones ran well again with a time not far off his best.

There was yet another great run by the impressive teenager Luke Campbell who was first runner and first junior in Chippenham and another age group best for Ruth Fulford in Cheltenham.

Cheltenham Parkrun, 5km trail 1, Gwenael Blanck (unattached) 18.23; 273, Ruth Fulford 28.59 (first FV65); 278, Robin Lloyd 29.12. 430 finished.

Chippenham Parkrun, 5km trail 1, Luke Campbell 18.22 (first junior). 121 finished.

Swindon Parkrun, 5km trail 1, Nic Bailey (Woodstock Runners) 18.22; 40, Gordon Jones 21.35; 162, Barbara Thomas 26.02; 287, Clare Blampied 30.06. 477 finished.