Cirencester Athletics and Triathlon Club

Cirencester’s ultra athlete Rob Forbes found himself having to plumb unknown depths as he finished a superb fifth place at Cape Town’s gruelling 100 kilometre Ultra Trail.This classic race, part of the Ultra Trail World Tour includes of 4,300 metres of ascent split between two major climbs and a near precipitous drop in the first half and endless undulations in the second.

Despite the 4am start (with sunrise halfway up Table Mountain), the heat soon became a major factor and Rob was one of many battling dehydration and cramping.

Two race favourites dropped out but Rob battled on covering the rough technical stages powered by a winning combination of pure determination and family support.

It seems unlikely that he was able to enjoy the wonderful views of Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean or even briefly running through wine lands but we hope he is as proud of this gutsy performance as the rest of us are.

1 Janosch Kowalczyk (Germany) 10.22.00

5 Rob Forbes (Cirencester AC) 11.30.53

Lanzarote Running Challenge

Kate Sackett, another of our club stars, put herself through a different ordeal to finish second FV55 in the Lanzarote Running Challenge.

Kate went to Lanzarote nursing injuries so was pleased to be able to run all four races in a total of just over four hours – eleven minutes faster than her total time last year (although she would be the first to point out that last year’s strong winds made the going particularly tough).

This year the heat was more of an issue but the promise of a cool beer at the end helped and possibly ensured that she completed the series with a road half marathon in a time slightly faster than at Stroud in October.

Day 4 of 4, La Vuelta de Tinajo ½ marathon road

1 Kasper Laumann Hartley (Denmark) 1.08.28 - 1st overall (2.42.33)

149 Kate Sackett (Cirencester AC) 1.43.14 - 129th overall (4.04.26)

326 finished.

Day 3 of 4, 5km beach

1 Kasper Laumann Hartley (Denmark) 16.27

145 Kate Sackett 24.24 325 finished.

Day 2 of 4, Ridge Run, 13km multi-terrain

1 Kasper Laumann Hartley (Denmark) 45.46

145 Kate Sackett (Cirencester AC) 1.08.47 352 finished.

Day 1 of 4, 10km road

1 Kasper Laumann Hartley (Denmark) 31.53

173 Kate Sackett (Cirencester AC) 48.02 370 finished.

Parkruns

A win for Ian Barrett at Hereford and 4th of Ollie Campbell at Chippenham. Good runs from Neil Morrissey and Gordon Jones while Rachel McAdam continues to knock off the seconds needed for a sub 25 minute run.

1 December 2018, parkruns, 5km trail

Cirencester AC finishers:

Cirencester: 19 Neil Morrissey 22.41, 34 Rob Jones 24.56, 92 Ruth Fulford 32.48, 101 Pam Wheeler (sweeper) 50.41, 101 finished

Swindon: 41 Gordon Jones 22.45, 70 Alan McAdam 24.58, 96 Rachel McAdam 26.12, 119 Barbara Thomas 27.34, 291 finished

Chippenham: 4 Ollie Campbell 20.03, 118 finished

Hereford: 1 Ian Barrett 18.20, 146 finished.