Autumn marathons & halves - big PB for Susanna
Extra result from last week
An initial mix-up with the results at Kilkenny Park parkrun (since corrected) meant that unfortunately Karen Higuera’s result was omitted from last week’s report. She had a great run, with her time of 23.49 making her 2nd lady, and 82.6% being the best age-graded performance on the day. It was also her fastest this year and her best ever on an age-graded basis. Great work Karen.
October’s Strava segment challenge
It seems it’s only the club’s men that are competitive? Whilst Jack Bonnick remains in the lead, veteran Dorian Matts put his sprinting experience to use and ran 35 seconds for the short uphill segment, putting him in 3rd place, just 1 second behind Rich Allen but ahead of Bill Leggate.
Dorian is also so far the only male runner over 65 using Strava to have run this segment ever…Maybe November’s choice will be somewhere more people (like to) run?
This month’s segment is only 0.12 miles long, and the current “local legend”, who is not a club member, has “only” done it 13 times in the last 90 days, which is easily displaced by the 31st October, at whatever pace.
Club Social curry
Further to our previous requests for you to hold the date, we’ve confirmed with the Sultan restaurant that they can accommodate us on Monday 16th November, so we hope you can join us – a poll will go out on our whatsapp group for you to confirm your attendance so we can give the restaurant numbers a couple of days beforehand.
Format will be same as last time – arrive in time to get drinks before sitting down at 19:30, no seating plan, order “a la carte” and keep tabs of what you’ve ordered to settle up at the end. Drinks pay as you go. Would be great to see some of newer members in a social setting.
Parkruns, 24th October
Despite running well within himself so he could pace his daughter to a new PB, Rich Allen was still first home for the club at Ciren. Marital harmony was preserved in the McAdam household with Alan and recovered Rachel crossing the line exactly together ;-)
Colin Tapley ran a strong time in Torbay, despite the “rain, rain and more rain”, finishing in the top 10 age-graded.
Cirencester: 29 Rich Allen 22.27, 49 Rachel Ranger 24.33, 52 Paul Timms 24.49,88 Jonathan Higgs 26.54, 146 Amanda Naylor 30.56, 148 Rachel McAdam 31.14,149 Alan McAdam 31.14, 158 Richard Edwards 31.49, 235 finished.
Tetbury: 5 Blair Thomson 21.34, 36 Casey Vatcher 24.47, 177 finished.
Marlborough Common: 28 David Moss 24.34, 157 finished.
Carterton, Kilkenny Lane: 91 Gordon Jones 32.50, 134 finished.
Torbay Velopark: 35 Colin Tapley 21.41 (pictured above), 245 finished.
Penalta, Caerphilly: 30 Ben Francis 23.01, 193 finished.
Amager Strandpark, Copenhagen, Denmark: 72 Ted Ralling (J) 28.49, 102 finished.
Not a parkrun
When is a park run not a Parkrun?
We’ve probably all run in a park instead of trekking to an official event, but in Dubai, Charlotte Wilton ran the pay-to-enter Skechers Beach Parkrun. Due to the hot weather, it started at 06.00, although Charlotte was up nearer 4am (and also did a “warm-up” LOL).
Her time of 21.53 earned her 2nd place out of 56 ladies, so well done Charlotte – a great pace in very hot and humid conditions.
1 Stephen Kasembi (unknown) 17.17 (chip 17.14)
11 Charlotte Wilton (Cirencester AC) 21.53 (21.47) – 2nd lady / 1st FV50
140 finished runkaizen.com
24 October, Beachy Head trail marathon
Your editor’s memory is not perfect these days, but he thinks food has usually figured quite prominently in Martin Croucher’s accounts of his extensive ultra and marathon exploits.
His latest marathon was no exception as his Strava post proves – ignoring the elevation involved, straight to the legendary fuelling ;-))
“Amazing what you can achieve on McDonald’s chicken selects, sausage and egg McMuffin and trying to avoid the worst of storm Boelo😂”
1 Timothy Short (unattached) 3.06.32 (chip 3.06.32)
224 Martin Croucher (Cirencester AC) 4.47.40 (4.47.23)
937 finished beachyheadmarathon.eventrac.co.uk
25 October 2026, Venice Marathon
Susanna Austin sent us this report
“Mostly flat along the Brenta canal apart from the 14 bridges at the end including a long road bridge of several km. That really did for my sub 4hr as I briefly lost the will to live but regrouped for the end. Still a massive pb, taking 10 minutes off my previous. But chip time 4.00.33 is a bit galling. My watch was way off the pace, clearly. I thought I could put the marathon to bed after that, but I may have to go again! My niece enjoyed the half and we can report that rock music is very much alive in the Venice suburbs with lovely support.”
Congratulations on a significant PB improvement, and commiserations on those "extra" 34 seconds.
If you look carefully at Susanna’s photo, as well as her club vest you may spot a soft toy goat attached to her race vest -
“I don't usually take a soft toy, but the goat was because I’m fundraising for Kids for Kids, which helps make communities in Dafur more sustainable, such as by giving a goat, which leads to more goats... It's called 'Our Kid' after a certain celebrity that moved into Coates!”
3553 Susanna Austin (Cirencester AC) 4.04.38 (chip 4.00.33) PB
7851 finished venicemarathon.it
25 October 2026, Stroud Half Marathon
The 44th running of the popular Stroud half went ahead on Sunday, with windy rather than stormy conditions. Ten years on from his winning time there of 1.10.09 in 2016, HM specialist Dave Bell was back –
“Really pleased with that run today 😊. Was hard work in that wind and ran most of the race solo. Main goal was to run under 1:15 today ✅️ and I think it would have been close to sub 1:14 if it hadn't been as windy. Just checked my result from last year's race and came 12th and 3rd V40 then as well; spooky! 👻”
Glad you broke the 75-minutes Dave, despite the conditions. {Ed. – the leading MV60 times were slower than I’d expect, also wind-affected presumably.}
Steve Hale felt good at the start, with the Standish to Whitminster section going well, but the wind slightly took its toll towards the end, and he was disappointed to be around 5 minutes slower than last year. On the plus side, he did however manage a sprint finish together with Gary Wood who had caught him up.
Having taken it relatively easy at Chester marathon (only!) 2 weeks ago, Gary was really keen to get back under 2 hours for the half. (He was just outside it last year at the Cirencester HM). He set off at the necessary pace and felt good, so was able to stick with it and was delighted to be comfortably inside his target. Whilst its some way off his 1.44 PB, set at Stroud in 2019, it looks promising for an improved marathon time next year. Well done Gary.
In the tough conditions, Jos Randall was just pleased to actually complete the course.
1 Jacob Pickering (Cheltenham & County Harriers) 1.09.31 (chip 1.09.30)
12 David Bell (Cirencester AC) 1.14.52 (1.14.52)
841 Stephen Hale 1.58.21 (1.57.26)
843 Gary Wood 1.58.22 (1.57.15)
1188 Jocelyn Randall 2.15.25 (2.13.37)
1445 finished stroudhalf.com
OMM (Original Mountain Marathon) Sat-Sun 24-25th
Offroad enthusiast Andy Hindson was not too far from his usual Lake District haunts, up in southwest Scotland at Talnotry for a two-day pairs event. Here’s his summary
“I was surprised they went ahead with the event given they had prior warning of Storm Boelo with Amber warning. That said, OMM organisers don’t like a bit of bad weather to put them off holding the 2-day mountain marathon (two-day navigation event for teams of two. Carry everything you need for both days and overnight camp). I did Borrowdale 2008 when they had to abandon the event on day 1 due to incessant rain and high winds which flooded the parking field up at Seathwaite!
Anyway, I was partnered with Mick James who is a supreme navigator, and we ended up 24th overall (137 started, 16 retired and 32 teams didn’t show up!) and were the third vet team.
We were out for nearly the full 7 hours allowed in some particularly gnarly conditions, torrential rain and high winds which challenged your sense of humour! Luckily our pitch at the midcamp was well protected by trees on 3 sides although we could hear the winds in the night howling (think jet engine take-off) overhead! At least we stayed warm and dry.
The organisers saw sense on day 2 with 90mph winds causing a wind chill of -13 to -15 on the tops and created a non-competitive low-level route for everyone to take back to the event centre. Final challenge was getting off the camping/parking field which had turned into a muddy swamp.
No pics apart from those on my Strava as kept phone in my bag!”
{Ed. The strava photo is just vehicles in a wet and muddy field}.
Glad you’re back in one piece Andy – kudos for starting at all!
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