Lakeland 50 and Sophie's Super Sydney 10k

TRAIL RUNNING

Over the weekend three club members ran the Lakeland 50, the “shorter” of two options in what the organisers modestly bill as “The UK's Premier Ultra Trail Race”.

It started from the northern tip of Ullswater on Saturday morning and finished in Coniston.

Andy Hindson was running the LL50 for the 6^th time, and admirably defying the ageing process he knocked 2 minutes off last year’s time.

Ultra partners Lara Tompson and Jo Roberts finished in the small hours of Sunday.

Andy Hindson, Lara Tompson, Jo Roberts, Lakeland 50 miles 2025

Incredibly the winner had finished by early evening averaging a ridiculous pace of sub 10-minute miles, despite the c. 10,000ft of elevation.

26/27 July 2025, Lakeland ‘50’, Ullswater to Coniston, 50 miles trail

1 Lewis Bowness (Helm Hill Runners) 7.52.47

341 Andy Hindson (Cirencester AC) 13.04.32

989 Lara Tompson 17.40.45

990 Jo Roberts 17.40.51

?? finished www.lakeland100.com

ROAD RUNNING

On Saturday 26th, overseas member Sophie Chudley is having an “annus mirabilis”. Having aced the Boston marathon earlier this year, she produced a stunning 10k PB time of 36:14 in the Sydney Harbour 10k, winning her age group and finishing 6^thlady overall.

For context, that’s over 92% age-graded, 5:50 per mile and would be 4^th equal if included in the UK RunBritain V45 rankings this year (behind Ellen Leggate, 2^nd claim member in 3^rd place on 34:42). Congratulations Sophie!

Sophie Chudley, Sydney Harbour 10k 2025 - 36:14 PB

On Sunday 27th, David Wright took part in a 20km road race in Brittany -

“My race followed the beautiful coast and goes past our house.  Brutal in places, my first km took 5:11 straight up a vicious climb.  As last year, my V65 prize was a bottle of champagne, some Breton cakes and lunch for two in a local old folks home!”

An unusual prize for an unusual distanced-race – enjoy the lunch!

Cote de Granit Rose

1 Benoit Fanouillere (Loudec, France) 1.02.52 (chip 1.02.52)

307 David Wright (Cirencester AC) 1.31.13 (1.31.00) – 1st V65

2253 finished www.20kmcotegranitrose.com

PARKRUNS

Of our 15 runners at the Cirencester parkrun, Kirsty Leggate was guaranteed a celebration as she was getting her birthday off to a healthy start. Brendan McCarthy who shares the same birthday (but not birth year!) had celebrated a few days early with the Thursday runners (producing an excellent cake by all reports).

Also with cause for celebration was ever-improving Rich Allen, who trimmed his course PB again to finally crack the official 18-minute mark with 17:55. [Rich ran 17:27 at the start of May over the very fast Severn Bridge course]. Well done Rich.

Kate Jacobs was 2^nd lady home in 20:10, not a million miles off her course best of 19:50.

Ed Knight and Alan Tompson were 1 and 2 seconds respectively off their course PB’s.

A very welcome feature of Saturday’s run for our volunteers (including Cathie Helen and Paul) was the tail runner in a 328 field finishing in less than 52 minutes – half an hour less than when your editor last volunteered.

Elsewehere, Steve Hale’s great form continued at Stonehouse – just 6 seconds off his PB there set last week.

Cirencester: 4 Rich Allen (course PB) 17.55, 13 Kate Jacobs 20.10, 18 Edward Knight (J) 20.45,

56 Paul Timms 23.05, 68 Ben Hilditch 23.34, 108 Annabel Campbell (J) 25.51,

114 Kate Kilby 25.59, 142 Bill Leggate 27.40, 153 Richard Edwards 28.03,

162 Jonathan Higgs 28.47, 170 Gordon Jones 29.09, 180 Angela Hilditch 29.32,

193 Kirsty Leggate 30.17, 238 Alan Tompson 32.01, 309 Simon Campbell 40.10, 328 finished.

Tetbury: 52 Rachel McAdam 26.16, 72 Alan McAdam 28.57, 159 finished.

Swindon, Lydiard Park: 45 Toby Conway (J) 21.26, 478 finished.

Stonehouse: 23 Stephen Hale 23.23, 105 finished.

Moreton-in-Marsh, Fire Services College: 62 Phil Davey 25.11, 130 Jocelyn Randall 29.47,

251 finished.

Three Brooks, Bradley Stoke, Bristol: 238 Ruth Fulford 33.23, 318 finished.

St Austell, Eden Project: 156 Isabella Stickney (J) 26.27, 671 finished