A COLD October Sunday saw the 34th edition of the Stroud Half with 45 Dursley Running Club athletes on the start line, one of the biggest entries for DRC at the Stroud Half for a while.

This year has seen a new generation of runners coming though at DRC and Mike Crompton is next in a long line of competitive club level runners from Dursley Running Club.

His 17th position in 79 minutes an impressive result. Conditions were almost ideal, bar a north easterly wind that would test the runners on their return.

Crompton, Kevin Jackson and Tony Freer were close the line the line and Crompton was already in front by the first roundabout. Freer and Jackson ran together for the first mile and then Freer opened a gap on Jackson, veteran of every Stroud Half.

At the Stonehouse Roundabout next though was Nick Langridge, a second claim Dursley member in the colours of Thonbury.

Emma Denton glided though, Jon Tudor led Margaret Johnson by a few metres, Damian Lai came through with his pacer for the day Darren Kitchen, followed by a couple of notable trios Shona, Darley, Charlie Palmer and Jadie Cotterell, followed by Rach Goatman, Sally Williams and Karen Eadon.

It is perhaps indicative of the improved ability of DRC runners to pace themselves that many positions did not change over the next six miles. As the athletes descended from the rousing reception at Whitminster, Crompton was still running strongly, Freer was just 50 metres ahead of Jackson. Emma Denton was still gliding with Keeley Smith not too far in arrears. Margaret Johnson sat a couple of metres behind Jon Tudor.

There was no doubt that Mike Crompton was going to be first home, and whilst Jackson could see Freer ahead he could not close the gap, both finished with good times of ninety one minutes plus, both displaying metronomic pace judgement.

Two minutes in arrears Mike Brown run showed some promise, managing to keep a head of Emma Denton.

Although recovering from a cold Keeley Smith ran well and posted just over ninety-six minutes, With Jon Fahy and Simon Jones both running under 1:40. There were a number of solid runs in the one forties, with Margaret Johnson and Alice placing 8th and 11th in their categories and Graeme Tudor 12th MV60.

The trio of Shona Darley, Charlie Palmer and Jadie Cottrell kept pushing to come in under two hours.

First timers Sam Martin, Jadie Cotterell, Line Nash-Whitlock all enjoyed their first Half Marathon. The DRC tail enders looked good as they reached the sharp end of the race. Karen Eadon was a magnificent Lantern Rouge putting in a big sprint at the end.

Crompton not only posted a half marathon PB also a 10K time PB and sub 60 minute 10 mile effort. Mike said that pretty happy with run, though the wind made it tough on the run in and being on his own made it difficult to maintain his pace.

There were a host of personal bests Simon Jones, Graeme Tudor (a course best of 7 minutes0, Annette Keevil, Damian Lai (30 minutes course best), Nicki Cowle, Darren Richards, Charlie Palmer, and Rach Goatman. Mike Crompton, 17th , (6th M30-39), 01:19:43; Tony Freer, 117th, (19th M50-59), 01:31:25; Kevin Jackson, 121st, (21st MV50-59), 01:31:44; Michael Brown, 143rd, 01:33:27; Emma Denton, 175th,(10th F30-39), 01:35:16; Mark Brasier, 174th,01:35:16; Keeley Smith , 206th, 01:36:04; Jonathan Fahy, 241st,01:37:12; Simon Jones, 280th,01:39:13; Christopher Sweet, 328th, 01:41:38; Darren Richards, 350th, 01:42:16; Ian Roberts, 359th, 01:43:11; Margaret Johnson, 395th, (8th F50-59), 01:44:14; Jonathan Tudor, 394th, 01:43:54; Richard Hensman, 414th,01:45:12; Andrew Hara, 418th, 01:44:50; Alice Lewis, 427th, (11th FV50-59), 01:45:16; Mathew Read , 429th, 01:45:01; Graham Tudor, 492nd, (13th MV60), 01:47:59; Sam Martin, 496th, (24th F30-39), 01:47:26; David Saunders, 511th,(14th MV 60), 01:48:35; Hannah Brookes, 528th, (21st Sen. Woman), 01:49:13; Daniel Gabb, Tbc, 01:52:00 PROVISIONAL; Andy Kilby, 640th, (18th MV60), 01:52:40; Damian Lai, 747th, 01:56:04; Darren Kitchin, 746th, 01:56:03; Charlie Palmer, 792nd,01:57:33; Jadie Cotterell, 823rd, 01:58:37; Mark Western, 826th, 01:59:00; Shona Darley, 827th, 01:58:51; Hannah, Carter, 874th, 02:00:41; Annette Keevil, 918th, 02:03:42; Nicola Cowle, 1076th, 02:11:58; Caroline Whitlock, 1080th, 02:12:06; Peter Bennetts, 1088th, 02:12:34; Amanda Hensman, 1125th, 02:16:08; Emma Keating, 1130th, 02:16:19; Anya Wood, 1184th, 02:22:34; Carolyn Thraves, 1183rd, 02:22:18; Nicky Grant, 1198th, 02:23:46; Sally Williams, 1201st, 02:22:40; Hannah Butcher, 1209th, 02:24:04; Hannah Norman, 1210th, 02:24:04; Rachael Goatman, 1223rd, 02:25:45; Karen Eadon, 1297th, 02:37:30;

Saturday saw the inaugural Wotton Parkrun, a course with a difference, all off road, as with all parkruns quite few tourists were keen to check-in at the “first running” and the event saw 304 runners on the start line including seventeen DRC athletes with twelve 12 DRC members volunteering to help the event.

Nigel Sankey was the fastest parkrunner at the weekend at Wotton, with Tony Wooldridge posting an impressive 77.95% age grading, and Zoe Lammerton first woman home for Dursley in an impressive 22:57. Dursley Tourists Tony Ball and Richard Bromley both recoded PBs at Barnstaple and York. With Chris Ashworth and Jo Fearns both running PBs at Kingsway.

Kingsway: Chris Ashworth, 48th, 24:51; Steve Barnes, 71st, 26:48; Jo Fearns, 117th, 31:37 York: Richard Bromley, 146th, 23:29; Barnstaple: Antony Ball, 57th, 24:37:00 Wotton: Nigel Sankey, 15th, 20:37; Tony Wooldridge, 22nd, 21:19; Garry Strickland, 27th, 21:51; Zoe Lamerton, 49th, 22:57; John Delafield, 56th, 23:30; Rebecca Topham, 81st, 24:43 Rob Woodward, 118th, 26:12; Lisa Hindshaw, 138th, 27:33; Tracey Strickland, 143rd, 27:38; Dave Halford, 148th, 27:48; Steve Rugman, 164th, 28:25; Ian Roberts, 176th, 28:54; Vicci Phillips, 179th, 29:04; Liz Halford, 190th, 29:48; Karl Rust, 191st, 29:50 Julie Furneaux, 221st, 31:22; Jude Rugman, 285th, 37:49.