THE first Castle Combe duathlon of the season was held recently, with Mike Willis storming ahead of his rivals in the SupVet60 category, and beating many younger athletes in the process.

Coming 37th overall, his times for the two-mile run were 12:43 and 12:54, with a total time of 54:17, over three minutes ahead of Ros Rowland running and Ray Sunnucks on the bike, who were first relay team to finish in 57:35.

Arthur Renshaw was third SupVet60 in 1:01:40, and Trevor Roberts fifth in the same category in 1:05:21.

Five miles is not a common race distance in this age of kilometres, but the Cardiff Bay 5 Miles was the run of choice for Thornbury Running Club's Garry Slater, where he finished a good 66th in 31:19.

The event included a 2k Family Fun Run where his six-year-old daughter Eve showed she has inherited her parents' athletic genes, running the whole distance, while mum Selina pushed little sister Faith in her buggy.

With the Bristol 10k on Sunday as well as events farther afield, only a very small handful of runners chose park runs on Saturday with Kevin Arnold at Little Stoke finishing in 20:44, Wilf Burke at South Manchester in 21:43 and Mitchell Fussell at Ormskirk in 25:58.

Also a 5k race but in total contrast was the Old Sodbury Scramble, organised by Friends of Old Sodbury School Association.

The course started from the school with a lofty scramble up the escarpment.

Garry Slater was the sole Thornbury entrant, finishing in third place in 24:27, just nine seconds behind the winner.

Andi Davies was also rewarded with third place and was also first MV45 in 41:54 in the Ras y Diafol 10k trail race, one of a number of races comprising the Red Kite Challenge at Devil's Bridge, Aberystwyth.

Nicky Davies was 27th overall in 52:15; seventh female finisher.

Son Luke, running for Brecon, won the U15 boys race, while daughter Heidi's excuse for not competing was her attendance at the British Athletics Junior Mountain Running Camp in Betws y Coed in preparation for the World Youth Mountain Running Camp in Italy later in the year.

Entries are still open for the Sundayshill 10k race, which will be held in the evening of Monday, June 30.

This event is open to all and entry details can be found on thornburyrunningclub.co.uk which also gives details of meetings and weekly runs.

Thornbury meet at 7pm on Thursday evenings at Thornbury Leisure Centre.