Cirencester Athletics and Triathlon Club - Race round up

Dave Bell achieved a satisfying time of 4.40 running his first competitive road mile.

He was able to hang on to the back of the leading pair before just losing them coming into the High Street but ended up finishing third place at Bourton on Saturday.

Bill Leggate came in seven seconds later, in a time to equal his best, finishing fifth and good first V40.

Ian Barrett, also running his first mile in our club colours, came next with 5.09, finishing 14th.

Gordon Jones slowed on previous years to over six minutes but was thrilled to retain his age group win.

Millie Chudley (U15) was the first junior across the line with Andrew Woods and younger sister Izzy not too far behind and there were several other unaffiliated juniors adding to the excitement.

Sarah Whitehouse found Izzy an excellent pace maker enabling her to finish in 7.06.

Pam Wheeler, Barbara Thomas and Ruth Fulford all ran well, albeit slightly slower than last year, while Liza Darroch was seconds quicker but disappointed that her mile focused training felt wasted by tired legs on the night.

Bourton on the Water Mile, 1 mile road

1 Richard de Camps (Cheltenham & County Harriers) 4.32

3 David Bell (Cirencester AC) 4.40

5 Bill Leggate 4.47 – 1st V40

14 Ian Barrett 5.09

51 Gordon Jones 6.11 – 1st V65

64 Millie Chudley 6.25

73 Andrew Woods 6.35

95 Izzy Chudley 7.05

96 Sarah Whitehouse 7.06

114 Pam Wheeler 7.46

119 Barbara Thomas 8.05

127 Liza Darroch 8.42 – 1st FV70

128 Ruth Fulford 8.50 141 finished.

Karen Higuera demonstrated super consistency completing one of the nation’s most demanding off road marathons within seconds of last year’s time.

Karen ran the Snowdon Trails Marathon, which involves the summit of Snowdon and many miles of concentration sapping stony tracks, and found it tougher this year.

Snowdonia Trails Marathon, 26.2 miles trail

1 Nick Swinburn (Northumberland Fell Runners) 3.18.10

339 Karen Higuera (Cirencester AC) 6.31.56 646 finished.

Lead coach Colin Tapley was pleased to lead his age group around a 10km race in Sidmouth when finishing a rewarding 28th in 44.17.

His wife Clare followed in minutes over the hour.

Otter Rail & River Run, Sidmouth, 10km multi-terrain

1 Sam Hopton (South West Road Runners) 35.06

28 Colin Tapley (Cirencester AC) 44.17 – 1st V55

186 Clare Tapley 1.06.37 258 finished

Earlier in the week Henry Sheffield returned to the second of the series of Open meetings on the Cheltenham track to have a go at 800m and again was first in his U13 age group with a PB of 2.18.5.

Cheltenham Midsummer Open track meeting

800m (Race ‘C’)

1 Toby Baker (Team Bath AC) 2:16.6

5 Henry Sheffield (Cirencester AC) 2:18.5

Earlier still, Mark Sysum just managed the top twenty in a 5km road race near Calne to finish in 18.39.

Heddington Summer Series 5km, nr Calne, 5km road

1 Simon Gilbert (Devizes Running Club) 16.09

20 Mark Sysum (Cirencester AC) 18.39 197 finished.

parkruns, 5km trail - Saturday, July 13

Fastest run of the week by Ollie Campbell (still a junior) who won Tetbury in18.25 and was followed by Nicola Denning, Alan and Rachel McAdam and Thomas McNally. Holly Willis paid one of her irregular visits to Cirencester to finish 1st lady and to join Henry Broadley and Isobel Watts with course PBs. Neil Broadley and Paul Timms followed. Then in came in Richard Edwards with yet another PB, smashing under the 26 minute mark for the first time. His steady improvement from a time of 38.50 to this of 25.36 over the course of 7 months is a great demonstration of the value of hard work and systematic training. Five other club members followed. Neil Morrissey chose Swindon for his first parkrun where he joined regulars, David Moss and Barbara Thomas with Keith Firkin also in the mix.

Cirencester finishers:

Cirencester: 9 Holly Willis 21.43 – 1st lady, 13 Henry Broadley (J) 21.53, 15 Isobel Watt (J) 22.10, 31 Neil Broadley 24.11, 33 Paul Timms 24.16, 63 Richard Edwards 25.36, 73 Brendan McCarthy 25.56, 92 Jocelyn Randall 27.17, 108 Joe Cook (J) 28.20, 109 Kate Sackett 28.21, 130 Denise Ewbank 30.20, 195 finished

Swindon: 49 Neil Morrissey 21.52, 76 Keith Firkin 23.01, 193 David Moss 27.09, 241 Barbara Thomas 28.50, 462 finished

Tetbury: 1 Ollie Campbell (J) 18.25, 18 Nicola Denning 23.01, 52 Alan McAdam 25.50, 63 Rachel McAdam 27.06, 89 Thomas McNally 30.42, 122 finished