THORNBURY. Athletics. Riverbank Rollick

No matter how well a race is planned and organised, no-one has control of the weather, and after a week of snow, rain and gales Steve Dimond, Race Director, did hope the forecasters had it right for Sunday 18 January and Thornbury Running Club's 11th Riverbank Rollick. The day started with fog and frost but by the 11am start time, the sun shone in a near-cloudless sky and although cold, the air was still.

The Rollick is not a race for the weak or fastidious. There will always be mud somewhere along the 9-mile course, and this year only the few road sections were dry. The puddles could usually be avoided, but strength-sapping mud was the alternative, and the flat riverbank section was tough and slippery.

The race was a sellout, and although not every entrant turned out, around 350 set off. First runner back was Stroud's Lee Rankin in 58:44, followed by Sean Taylor of Pontypool & District Runners in 59:14 then Nicholas Smart (Westbury Harriers) in 1:00:39. The first lady was not far behind, Annabel Granger (Bristol & West AC) 11th overall in 1:05:20 with Westbury Harriers taking 2nd and 3rd places: Catherine Lee in 1:06:35 and Bridget White 1:08:19. As both male and female winners were in the Vet40 age category, the prizes went to the next finishers: Darren Wilkinson (6th place; 1:02:36) and Catherine Tailby (Penarth & Dinas, 9th lady in 1:18:24). In the Vet45 category Westbury Harriers' David Hobbs was 8th overall in 1:03:05 with Niki Morgan of Chepstow Harriers 5th lady in 1:10:57. Thornbury's Ros Rowland won the ladies Vet50 category in 1:18:18 with 4th position Nick Hides of Clevedon AC in 1:01:11. Other category winners were Dave Gapper & Alison Engledew (Vet55); Michael Murphy & Gillian Murphy (Vet60); Paul snelling & Sue Nicholls (Vet65) and Ralph Davey (Vet70).

Westbury Harriers Ladies finished 2nd, 3rd and 27th to win the Ladies team event while Stroud Men finished 1st, 10th,11th and 21st. Prize for each team was as always a beautifully decorated home-made cake.

With Thornbury the host Club, most available members were helping, and those who did run had tasks to complete first. The first home for the Club was Rob Hopkins who forged through the mud with his usual strength to come 22nd in 1:07:18. With Paul Clark 27th in 1:08:34, Rob Cowlard 46th in 1:12:16 and Jo Firth 60th in 1:14:48, the men did well to finish in 4th team place. Also running for Thornbury were Daniel Harding (92nd in 1:18:46), Jim Turton (175th, 1:31:06) and Judy Mills (259th, 1:43:17).

All runners were rewarded with free tea and cake, though donations were invited for Cerebral Palsy Sport and over £300 was collected.

A few Thornbury members had been to one or other of the local parkruns on Saturday 17 Jan with Dan Harding perhaps saving himself for the Rollick to finish at Chipping Sodbury in 21:27. At the same event Hugh McPherson finished in 23:21. Garry Slater was the only Club runner at Little Stoke, completing in 19:50 while at Pomphrey Hill David Palmer had a run near to his best for the course, 26:47 but Anne Palmer took 5 seconds from her previous best with a new PB of 32:31.

Thornbury Running Club welcomes runners of all abilities, whether they like running through mud or prefer dry roads. The Club meets at 7pm on Thursdays in Thornbury Leisure Centre. See thornburyrunningclub.co.uk for more details.