Cirencester Athletics and Triathlon Club
Dragons Back Race, Conwy to Llandeilo, Wales, 315km trail.

RICHARD’S HURDLE’S effort to finish the Dragon’s Back in well under 60 hours places him in a category of his own among Cirencester AC's ultra runners.

Listeners to Radio 2 may already know of this ultra race – described by many as the toughest in world.

It follows the mountainous spine of Wales from north to south, an incredible five-day journey of 315 kilometres long with 15,500 metres of ascent across wild, trackless, remote and mountainous terrain.

Runners are responsible for all their own navigation and, in the absence of paths, costly mistakes are easily made, especially towards the end of any of the five long and brutal days of running.

RESULTS: 1, Marcus Scotney (Sheffield RC) (8:14.51; 8:15.38; 7:54.33; 7:21.26; 6:12.09) 37hr 58min; 55, Richard Hurdle (12:02.22; 12:47.48; 12:29.40; 12:01.50; 10:14.44) 59:36. 127 finished (230 started).

Westonbirt Sprint Triathlon (400m swim, 25km bike, 5km run).

GREAT to see Trudy Compton back in competitive mode in a local sprint triathlon after a spate of injuries.

RESULTS: 1, Paul Ryman (Ichiban Frome) (5.29; 33.01; 18.00) 59.44; 303, Trudy Compton (8.34; 52.53; 27.50) 1:37.17. 441 finished.

Gloucester 5km, Haresfield, 5km road.

OUR “more senior” ladies had a great evening on Wednesday running the Gloucester 5km in the continued pursuit of county awards.

Kate Sackett, despite courting heat exhaustion on a punishing morning run training for the Cotswold Way Relay, finished fourth lady and first in her age group. There were also medals and age-group places for Barbara Thomas and Ruth Fulford.

RESULTS: 1, Richard Dare (Cheltenham & County Harriers) 16.22; 22, Kate Sackett 21.41 (4th lady/1st FV55); 50, Barbara Thomas 27.10 (2nd FV60); 55, Ruth Fulford 29.43 (1st FV65). 64 finished.

Parkruns

IAN BARRETT (17.31) ran the fastest parkrun of the week to finish second in Cheltenham where Ruth Fulford (29.12)picked up an age-group win.

Only seconds slower than Ian, Luke Campbell (17.38) also finished second at Wotton followed by brother Ollie (19.07). While in Swindon Isaac McAdam’s time of 17.52 was good enough to secure first place and first junior. Ionel Iancu (19.51) was only one second shy of his PB and Gordon Jones (21.55) continued to run well repeating an age-group win.

Ivan Quinlan (23.13) has run faster and Martin Croucher (24.43) was clearly out for a gentle jog before flying off to run his fourth Comrades race in South Africa. Barbara Thomas (27.26) achieved an age-group first.

On the other side of the globe, Paul Timms(23.04) celebrated his recent arrival at the club by finding a small parkrun when work took him to San Francisco.

Cheltenham Parkrun, 5km trail.

1, Marcus England (Cheltenham & County Harriers) 17.22; 2, Ian Barrett 17.31 (1st MV45); 251, Ruth Fulford 29.12 (1st FV60). 408 finished.

Wotton Parkrun, 5km trail.

1, David Awde (Bristol & West AC) 15.57; 2, Luke Campbell 17.38; 4, Ollie Campbell 19.07. 107 finished.

Swindon Parkrun, 5km trail.

1, Isaac McAdam 17.52 (also 1st junior); 18, Ionel Iancu 19.51; 46, Gordon Jones 21.55 (1st MV65); 86, Ivan Quinlan 23.13; 136, Martin Croucher 24.43; 219, Barbara Thomas 27.26 (1st FV60); 346, David Moss 32.23. 474 finished.

Crissy Field Parkrun, San Francisco, USA, 5km trail.

1, Mario Cadete (London Heathside Runners AC) 17.51; 22, Paul Timms 23.04. 63 finished.