Fladbury Festive 5 - 7th January 2024
A small of Bourton Roadrunners ventured to Fladbury Village, in Worcestershire, this weekend, for the Fladbury Festive 5, organised and hosted by The Friends of Fladbury community group. This charity event has become an early-year favourite for the club, and is run mainly off-road along the banks of the River Avon, with tomatoes and cakes given for prizes.
Dougal Hamilton-Smith was the first Bourton runner to finish, in a time of 37 minutes and 30 seconds, and was second in the under-eighteen age group. Lisa Braid and Susan Hunt battled it out, with Lisa just gaining the advantage in 42:51 (VW35/2) with Susan finishing in 43:14. Not far behind was Louise Hamilton-Smith in 46:34, while Giles Canning and Lynn Hudson ran together finishing in 54:54 and 54:55 respectively.
Gloucestershire AAA Cross Country League - 6th January 2024
On Saturday, Bourton Roadrunners joined forces with North Cotswold Tri & Run to host the third event of this season’s Gloucestershire AAA Cross Country League series, at the Cotswold Farm Park, near Guiting Power. Cross country always draws some of the best talent across the various age groups, with all of the county’s clubs represented. Despite being bitterly cold, the runners, spectators and officials were rewarded with dry weather conditions and a scenic course.
While the spectators were being entertained by an exciting battle between Dominic James (Weston Tempo) and James Reeder (Team Bath), the leaders in the senior men’s race, there were many personal battles taking place in each race category. Bourton’s Peter Carrick was the club’s sole representative amongst the senior men and he gave a brilliant performance, completing the challenging 9.9Km course in 40 minutes and 31 seconds.
Meanwhile, Peter’s mother Gill was competing in a large mixed-category race, ranging from under-seventeen year olds, through senior women, to men and women in the masters-category. Gill completed the 6.6Km course in 42 minutes and 37 seconds in a highly competitive age-group.
Also representing Bourton within this race was one of the club’s older juniors, the talented Freddy Sansom, (MU17) who ran well to finish in 35 minutes and 4 seconds.
Parkrun - 6th January 2024
The club was still keen to get out and support parkrun at the following venues this week, despite the cold and muddy conditions at some locations, including:
Cheltenham Pittville Park: Chris Dry – 28:40 and John Harding – 29:35.
Chipping Norton School: Lorna Shawcross – 27:48 (LV60/1), Jenny Evanson – 37:43, Julie Smith – 40:10.
Whitley Bay: Linda Edwards – 29:46.
Highlights
Susan, Tom H, Lisa and Louise at Fladbury Festive 5 - 7th January 2024.
Final yards of exciting battle between Dominic James (Weston Tempo) and James Reeder (Team Bath), the leaders in the senior men’s race at Cotswold Farm Park cross-country - 6th January 2024.
Bourton’s Peter Carrick at Cotswold Farm Park cross-country - 6th January 2024
Bourton’s Gill Carrick at Cotswold Farm Park cross-country - 6th January 2024
Bourton’s Lorna, Julie and Jenny at Chipping Norton parkrun - 6th January 2024
Other reports may be found on our recent race reports page.