Valencia Marathon – 3 December 2023
While runners in Britain were waking up to freezing conditions and icy roads this weekend, Bourton Roadrunners’ Susan Hunt and Linda Edwards were lining-up for the start of the Valencia Marathon, where the temperature was already warming up at 8:15am.
For Susan, one of the club’s most prolific racers, this was her 40th full marathon which she completed in four hours, nine minutes and 16 seconds, maintaining a perfectly even pace throughout the 42.2Km. Linda is also no stranger to the marathon, focusing on the task in hand in very warm conditions, to finish in 4:57:13.
Salisbury Half Marathon - 2nd December 2023
The day before and closer to home, Bourton’s Annie ventured to the trails of Salisbury Plain, for the Salisbury Half Marathon. Providing stunning tracks and thigh-burning hills, it is a natural choice for many hardy trail runners.
Annie’s run progress was interrupted when another runner fell and cut her nose badly, about half-way round the course. Stopping to assist in freezing conditions, Annie was able to provide support and comfort, and her emergency foil-blanket.
Unsurprisingly, after stopping for 40 minutes, getting going again was going to take something special. However, Annie was absolutely brilliant completing the challenge in three hours, 44 minutes and 54 seconds, before going home to prepare for the club’s ceilidh evening at the Royal British Legion, Bourton on the Water!
Parkrun - 25th November 2023
Meanwhile, several club members joined thousands of others at a number of parkrun events, including Witney, which was celebrating its 200th event. John Conway – 39:07, Cleo Carruthers – 40:52 (VW70/1) and Sarah Conway – 51:58. Although she was celebrating her 50th parkrun, she had only recently returned to running following illness and injury, joining the club to complete its Couch-to-5K programme. Huge congratulations to Sarah.
Other venues included:
Cheltenham Pittville Park: Chris Dry – 28:31.
Chipping Norton School: Alan Thomas – 26:55; Alan’s first outing to this venue (VM 65/2), Margaret Hollamby – 27:16 (VW65/1), Julie Smith – 38:37,
and Patrick Smith – 38:39 (VM 60/3).
Clapham Common: Eva Shoemark – 25:38 (Course PB).
Highlights
Susan Hunt and Linda Edwards at Valencia Marathon - 3-12-2023
Sarah Conway completing her 50th parkrun at Witney - 2-12-2023
Other reports may be found on our recent race reports page.