Cranham Clean Sweep.....and lots more
- brian17harris
- Sep 7
- 5 min read
Firstly, a late-published result from last week.
Meteor Mile – Friday 29th August & Track meet 5th Sept
As far as we know, the Meteor Mile organised by Almost Athletes is the only other mile event in the calendar (apart from Bourton) that’s relatively local. It takes place on the runway of the airport at Staverton, and this year under-17 Ben Clarke was our only 1st-claim member competing. His time of 4:57 placed him as 8th Senior Male and broke the club junior mile road record – belated congratulations Ben!
Second claim member Ben Conway running for Swindon Harriers clocked 5:16 to finish 3rd Junior Male.
Ben Clarke also raced on the track over 3,000m at Cheltenham on Thursday 5th September, just nipping inside 10 minutes with a time of 9:59.5. Coach Dorian Matts reports that this is a level 3 PB award, although unfortunately for Ben some way off the impressive club U17 record set at 9:11 in 1986 by Tim Coope {Ed. - does anyone know what happened to him?}.
Cranham Boundary Chase – Saturday 7th
Claimed to be the oldest race in the county, the one-lap road course 5.6mi around the boundary of the village might also have a claim to be one of the hilliest. If you haven’t run it, it’s definitely worth a go to experience the hills at the start and end of the course. There is a flat mile or so and then an undulating section in the middle, with much of it in the shade of trees which helps if there is a strong sun out.
Unfortunately, James W and Kate J were both absent through injury, whilst Karen Higuera and Brian Harris were both still some way off their best as they each recover from their respective time off.
Plenty of competitors walked some or all of the last hill, for different reasons, including
· the eventual winner (who could see he had a safe margin! )
· your editor (whose heart rate was plenty high enough just walking up it purposively)
· the last competitor home, our own Gerald Billis (Achilles playing up)
Given the surprisingly small field for a Glos AAA event, even though Rich Allen was our only fully fit runner, we all won our respective age categories, taking away chocolates, biscuits or booze (or in Rich’s case as he finished an impressive 3rd overall, some of each).
Thanks are also due to the organisers whom we suspect procured a V85 prize at the last minute, not used to seeing any competitors in their late 80’s. After a sore Achilles forced him to walk the last mile or two, Gerald Billis bravely managed a short spurt across the line, finishing to a very warm reception.
The race was in the Glos AAA road race series, and we’ll give an update next week on how it affected the standings once the AAA has published the tables..
6 September 2025, Cranham Boundary Chase, 5.6 miles road
1 Archie Fox (Severn AC) 32.38,
3 Rich Allen (Cirencester AC) 33.52 – 1st V40
24 Brian Harris 43.31 – 1st V60
42 Karen Higuera 49.18 – 1st FV60
46 Kate Kilby 50.34 – 1st FV65
66 Gerald Billis 1.27.53 – 1st V85
PARKRUNS - Saturday 6th September
It was very much a family affair at Cirencester this week. In no particular order,
· New member Anna Stewart-Hodges, improving significantly over the last few months, didn’t hang around for her daughter Holly, in the process setting an all-time parkrun PB of 22:40 for a 72% age grading and first member home – congratulations on your PB Anna.
· The MacAdam stalwarts were joined by son Jacob (on his 504th parkrun!)
· Bill Leggate ran alongside son Hamish (with Mum Kirsty a little way behind)
· Sister and brother Angela and Ben Hilditch ran together (ladies first this time)
· Gordon and Rachel Jones both ran
· Susanna Austin let her non-member husband Keith go ahead
· Tom Morgan ran with his two sons (or nephews?)
And at Swindon, 2nd claim member Ben Conway (JM11-14) clocking 18.33 was only 13th in a fast field, but did well to get within 15 seconds of his PB there.
Cirencester: 21 Anna Stewart-Hodges (PB), 22.40, 33 Paul Timms 23.27, 84 Alan McAdam 26.50, 93 Holly Stewart-Hodges (J) 27.04, 98 Susanna Austin 27.18, 103 Rachel McAdam 27.32, 122 Gordon Jones 28.23,134 Bill Leggate 28.55, 155 Richard Edwards 30.11, 156 Kirsty Leggate 30.13,179 Angela Hilditch 31.34, 180 Ben Hilditch 31.35, 207 Gary Wood 33.45,214 Rachel Jones 34.15, 227 Ruth Fulford 36.04, 253 Clare Tapley 41.33,258 Tom Morgan 43.15, 271 finished.
Tetbury: 13 Stephen Hale 24.03, 170 finished.
Swindon, Lydiard Park: 13 Ben Conway 18.33, 205 finished.
Swindon, Seven Fields: 21 David Moss 23.13, 205 finished.
Harcourt Hill, Oxford: 48 Phil Davey 26.54, 112 finished.
Colby: 141 Barbara Thomas 44.32, 153 finished.
Sunday 7th
Compton Bassett ‘5’
This 5 mile road race near Calne is billed as fast and flat, but this year featured a hailstorm, which didn't help. David Wright was 3rd in the 10-year V60 age group.
1 James Share (Guildford & Godalming AC) 26.24 (chip 26.23)
41 David Wright (Cirencester AC) 33.57 (33.56)
Woodchester Trail Challenge
{Results aren't published yet, so we'll cover next week - we know Phil Davey ran but there may be other club members too.}
Coln Valley Charity Trail races
Rob Forbes and a team from Hatherop School once again organised trail races over 2k (junior steeplechase) and 5k/10k.
Ciren members won both the mens and ladies 10k.
For the men it was the “old boys club” in podium positions – winner Bill Leggate (38:41) was delighted to take a rare race win, and held off Aaron Willis by 9 seconds, with former member Marc Fallows not far behind in 3rd, all of them veterans. Aaron was happy with his effort and enjoyed the race, albeit a bit slippery in the mud out of Bibury. Typically modest Bill was "pleased to get a bit of fitness back".
Storm Trow was 1st lady in 43:40 - congratulations to her too.
Coln Valley Charity Trail Run, 10km trail
1 Bill Leggate (Cirencester AC) 38.41
2 Aaron Willis 38.49
13 Storm Trow 43.40 – 1st lady
124 finished
Over the 5k distance, junior Toby Conway made up for missing the meteor mile with 4th place in a very respectable 20.55 (for a trail course) and rumour has it collected some very cool running sunglasses as a prize.
Coln Valley Charity Trail Run, 5km trail
1 James Cooke (Worcester AC, J) 19.04
4 Toby Conway (Cirencester AC, J) 20.55
33 Gordon Jones 29.11
41 Kirsty Leggate 31.00
54 finished
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