THE SURGE in popularity of off-road races shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

The ‘Frampton Globe Trot’ on Saturday joins an already busy schedule of local races through the countryside and more challenging terrain.

The first running of the eight-mile course through the fields around Frampton Cotterell sold out in a little over 24 hours and three Thornbury runners were lucky enough to seal a spot.

Paul Thomas had a barnstorming performance near the top of the field, finishing in eighth place out of 169 runners in one hour 2:25 mins.

Kevin Cundy and Sonya Bryson kept each other company, Kevin crossed the line one second and one place ahead of Sonya in one hour 21mins and sixtieth position.

Kevin Arnold was racing in the colours of the Army last weekend in the Army Half Marathon Championships in Fleet.

In true fighting style, he battled back from a skiing injury incurred only three weeks before to make the start line.

This alpine mishap may have hampered his preparation, but his dogged spirit saw him through the race in one hour 49:19 mins.

John Grimsey was out on the Weston-super-Mare seafront last Thursday, taking part in the popular Weston Prom Run series.

John was quick to concede that his 50:11mins time over the five-mile distance was not his finest performance.

Anthony Yates ran the undulating Pomphrey Hill parkrun in 27:44mins.

Moray Sloan joined the less crowded field of runners at Wotton parkrun and completed it in 22:25mins for sixth place overall.

Malcom and Karen Carr took the opportunity while on South Coast to do the Bournemouth parkrun and finished in times of 25:52 mins and 28:43 mins, respectively.