Remembrance weekend - mostly quiet on the racing front
Headline photo this week is courtesy of Ian Barrett, showing the installation of thirty life-sized World War II soldier silhouettes and 30 red poppy wreaths. It was created by Oxfordshire-based charity Standing with Giants, and is being displayed on the iconic Broad Avenue in Cirencester Park from 22nd October to 6th December 2026, creating a poignant tribute to those who served and gave their lives for their country.
Club reminders
Curry social evening is on 16th November – a poll in the General part of our Whatsapp group – thanks to those who have replied to it - please let Brian Harris know by the 14th if you plan to come but can’t use the poll to say so.
Congratulations to Barbara Thomas who has got the club's place for the London Marathon next year. {Bad luck to the other 7 applying}. Barbara has been one of the club's most prolific racers over the years, and has been unsuccessful in the LM ballot for many years too. We'll mention the charity she is running to benefit in the weeks before the race. Good luck with the training Barbara.
Entries opened today for the first fixture in next season’s club championship, which is a 5-mile race on Sunday 17th January in Cheltenham – it filled up in a matter of hours so it is waitlist only now. Good luck if did you get a place.
Please see the latest iteration of our “club calendar” that Rich Allen has produced – handy to print out and keep with your diary, on the fridge or wherever…
Strava Segment challenge
Luke Campbell was leading by example in the first week of this month’s challenge. After a strong run mid-week from Dave Wright, Luke took one second off the segment all-time record, previously held by a competitive certain non-club runner. Looking out for developments next week, including any other ladies who fancy running the segment – Rachel Ranger being the first we’ve spotted.
Parkruns 7th November
Two of our ladies in particular had a great parkrun weekend
Charlotte Wilton was 1st lady at the Gloucester City event, in her best ever age-graded run (79.1%), and only a few seconds off her course PB there. Incredibly she is currently only 11 seconds slower than her first parkrun season way back in 2007 – whatever the latest training regime is, stick with it Charlotte!!
Rachel Ranger’s course PB at Cirencester (she’s only run faster once and that was a full 9 years ago at the faster Lydiard course, and then only by 7 seconds). So a clear age-graded lifetime best – many congratulation Rachel. Maybe it’s the two cross-country races that have helped get you faster? (Dorian didn't pay me to suggest this.....honestly).
Kate Kilby, Rachel and Pam Wheeler in that order were all in the top 10 age-graded finishers.
Cirencester: 13 Toby Conway (J) 21.10, 42 Rachel Ranger 23.22, 49 Dave Wright 23.36, 53 Rob Forbes 23.43, 55 Paul Timms 23.46, 78 Rich Allen 25.02, 81 Kate Kilby 25.27, 110 Brendan McCarthy 26.45, 111 Jonathan Higgs 26.49, 120 Ted Ralling (J) 27.13, 129 Alan McAdam 27.32, 169 Rachel McAdam 29.13, 182 Richard Edwards 29.38, 201 Pam Wheeler 30.25, 212 Samantha Timms 31.11, 226 Kirsty Leggate 32.04,312 finished.
Tetbury: 71 Stephen Hale 26.40, 234 finished.
Carterton, Kilkenny Lane: 9 Dave Moss 21.45, 114 Gordon Jones 32.58,128 Rachel Jones 34.18, 174 finished.
Gloucester City: 22 Charlotte Wilton (1st lady) 21.12, 322 finished.
Chippenham: 12 Blair Thomson 19.53, 300 finished.
Witney: 24 Martin Croucher 22.32, 272 finished.
Tidworth: 31 Ben Francis 23.10, 188 finished.
Severn Bridge: 134 Sophi Mason (J) 25.20, 406 finished.
Three Brooks, Bradley Stoke, Bristol: 329 Ruth Fulford 37.47, 381 finished
8 November 2026, Dorney Lake Half Marathon
Having been slightly disappointed with his wind-affected Stroud time 2 weeks ago, HM fan Dave Bell put that well and truly behind him to earn a podium finish -
“Sub 74 and over a minute quicker than Stroud a couple of weeks ago! 🙌🏻 Really pleased with that run today. Managed to keep effort/pacing really consistent, and felt strong and pretty relaxed. Helped by very still conditions too 👌🏻. Enjoying my running again at the moment, and seem to be in a pretty good groove 😊. Hopefully training continues to go well over the winter and hoping to target Reading half in March 👊🏼.”
Well done Dave, and fingers crossed for an injury-free winter training block.
1 Blake Brown (Cornwall AC) 1.12.01 (chip 1.11.59)
2 David Bell (Cirencester AC) 1.13.37 (1.13.34) – 1st V40
110 finished
Lest We Forget Marathon, Walton-on-Thames
And finishing the report on the same remmebrance theme (see race title).
Mike Hobbs was notching up his 10th marathon this year, again at his “home ground” beside the Thames, this time on a Saturday rather than Friday.
“I'd planned to go out a bit easier today, I’ve had a tight niggly lower back for a few days and just wanted to get this done. The cold, misty conditions by the river definitely didn't help, it took about 10 miles to warm up and I could feel my back the whole time. I hit halfway in just under 1.39, but even then, I knew that holding that pace for the second half was going to be a struggle. I never felt like I was moving freely, and when I felt my calf cramping badly at 16 miles, I thought my run was over. Thankfully, by adjusting my stride, it eased off, and once I got to 20 miles, I knew I just had to grind it out. I was pleased to run a slight negative split in the end and finish in 3.15.37.”
With various niggles going on (see above) It was a couple of minutes slower than the 3 he did there in September, but still impressive consistency since he started his mission after London. Well done Mike, and another "race win".
1 Michael Hobbs (Cirencester AC) 3.15.37
22 finished phoenixrunning.co.uk
Comments