IT WAS another busy weekend for Dursley Running Club on land and in the water.

Kate Browning (DRC) paired with Jo Hudson, were the first female pair in the Cotswold 24hour Relay, completing twenty-four 9k laps in a combined time of 23hrs 57 mins and were 82nd overall.

Dave Halford, Andrew Eades, Mark Own and Liz Halford finished in 23:23:08 as they completed 22 laps in 99th overall and 25th in category.

At the Bath Running Festival on Sunday DRC competitors took part in the Long Half and Marathon distances. There was a strong performance from Gareth Bradbury placing 12th overall and fifth MV40 in the Long Half and Emma Denton continued her 40 races at 40 with an age category win. Denton running with Mark Brasier, Caroline Jones came home a little way behind them placing fourth senior woman.

Results: Long Half: Gareth Bradbury 12th 02:10:18 (5thM40); Marathon Mark Brasier 23rd (10th M40) 04:53:11; Emma Denton 23rd (1st F40) 04:53:11; Caroline jones 34th (4th SenW) 05:08:59 Rich Pitts completed the Redhill Sprint Tri on Sunday, 57th overall and seventh in age group, 14:34 swim, 41:14 Cycle and 20:15 run with 75 seconds spent in transition.

At the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon in support of the Charity Barnados Charlotte Palmer, Kevin Rea and John Hookway took part in two triathlons, Palmer and Hookways’ first open water competition. The races involved a 200m lake swim, 10km cycle and a 2.5km run.

Results Eliminator: Charlie Palmer 242nd 44:19; Kevin Rea 254th 45:09;John Hookway 297th in 50;32. Wooden Spoon Final: Palmer 115th 43:58; John Hookway 130th in 45:23 Kevin Rea 136th 45:45.

Bristol Orienteering Klub’s Summer Series came to Dursley on Wednesday evening. The event saw 6 DRC runners allow the map to distract them from running.

In the long course saw Dave Wood tested himself against the experience of Alan Honey, both tackled the long course unsurprisingly Honey came in before Wood, 28th position with a time of 66:43. Wood finished 32nd in 70:36. Carolyn Thraves was the best performer on the medium course coming 17th in 53:31and just beating the pairing of Kath Sealey and Al Lea, Tony Ball completed the course in 76:35 minutes, with Sam Martin and Caroline Jones enjoying a relaxed outing completing the course in 87 minutes.

Thraves then completed the Foremark Reservoir event in the Derwent Valley Orienteers summer series. Her first woodland orienteering event not one for an easy start she entered the Long (technical) event 4.8km, 120m climb and 17 controls, Carolyn covered 4.5 miles in 77:59 placing twenty-seventh.

So far in Cotswold Waterland Aquathlon, nine DRC athletes have competed in the series. Speedster Richard Pitts has only completed once so far with a time of 32:33 in May the fastest to date.

Seven DRC athletes took part in the July event at South Cerney. Ray Williams was first home in 35:13 after a good swim, Chris Young just 45 seconds behind.

In the battle of the DRC M60s Rob Woodward was first out of the water but Andy Kilby “put him to the sword” on the run. Mel Williams led the DRC Women home in 41:37 with Thraves not far behind and Moira Woodward finishing strongly on the run.

Wednesday night saw James and David Durden back at the Midsummer Open Series in Cheltenham. The pair went head to head in the third 600m heat, with father and son placing 2nd and 3rd.

Results: 1500m David Durden; 05:11.3: 200m James Durden 29.7 David Durden: 30.01; 600m David Durden 01:48.3 James Durden 01:54.1.

Parkrun on the 22nd saw a DRC members trying to post a decent parkrun time for the club series. Neil Hodgson notched up the fastest run of 18:01 at Bushy, Alice Lewis and Tony Wooldridge as ever showing their class with 81.79 and an 81.26 age graded runs at Wotton. Personal Best were headed up by Tony Wooldridge also at Wotton Margaret Johnson, Kris Rymer and Mike Hanman posted PBs, with Lewis and Carly Heath close to their best; at Chipping Sodbury Shona ran a best with Erica Fuller running a PB at Stonehouse.

  DRC Web content Kate browning (DRC) paired with Jo Hudson, team name “Scrambled Legs” deserves a mention, they came in 1st female pair in the Cotswold 24 Relay 24 9k laps in a combined time of 23hrs 57 mins and were 82nd overall with a fastest lap of 44:25 and average of 59:51. Dave Halford, Andrew Eades, Mark Own and Liz Halford made up “In A League of their own” finishing in 23:23:08 they completed 22 laps 99th overall and 25th in category. Their fastest lap was a sizzling 42:41 and averaged 01:03:46. Awesome achievement by all.

Sunday saw the Bath Running Festival hold trail races from 5k to Marathon distances, with DRC runners taking part in the Long half and marathon distances. There was a strong performance from Garth Bradbury placing 12th overall and 5th MV40 in the Long Half and Emma Denton continued her 40 races at 40 with an age category win, Emma running with Mark Brasier, Caroline Jones came home a little way behind them placing 4th senior woman.

Results: Long Half: Gareth Bradbury 12th 02:10:18 (5thM40); Marathon Mark Brasier 23rd (10th M40) 04:53:11; Emma Denton 23rd (1st F40) 04:53:11; Caroline jones 34th (4th SenW) 05:08:59 Alice Smith completed a marathon (26 mile) hike for Macmillan! She has commented “Rather hilly and challenging in places but nailed it, even broke out in to a bit of a jog about 20 miles! Bloomin watch died about half way so not recorded unfortunately. Took about 8hrs, which I'm really pleased with. Bit sore now and I still haven't peeled my boots off. Muddy legs but I'm smiling. **Update** I came in 124th out of 900 people”

After Alan Honeys’ “Any Way you Please II challenge the Bristol Orienteering Klub’s Summer Series came to Dursley. The event saw 6 DRC runnesr allw the map to distract them from running. In the long course saw Dave Wood test himself against Alan Honey DRC member but who was running for BOK both tackled the long course unsurprisingly Honey came in before Dave in 28th position with a time of 66:43, Dave was 32nd in 70:36, the course ended with a tricky section of 8 controls in Rednock School where identifying the uncrossable fences and spotting open gates was critical. Carolyn Thraves was the best performer on the medium course coming 17th of 40 in 53:31and just beating the pairing of Kath Sealey and Al Lea, Tony Ball completed the course in 76:35 minutes, with Sam Martin and Caroline Jones enjoying a relaxed outing completing the course in 87 minutes again after passing The Vale and entering the new housing estate, the medium course also finished with some tricky controls in the school.

Carolyn Thraves appetite has definitely been whetted as she then did an orienteering race at the Foremark Reservoir in the Derwent Valley Orienteers summer series. Her first woodland orienteering event involved hacking through undergrowth and challenging navigation. Not one to start easy Carolyn entered the Long (technical) event 4.8km, 120m climb and 17 controls, Carolyn covered 4.5 miles in 77:59 placing 27th “Definitely got the orienteering bug”.

Rich Pitts completed the Redhill Sprint Tri on Sunday, 57th overall and 7th in age group, 14:34 swim, 41:14 Cycle and 20:15 run with 75 seconds spent in transition. At the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon in support of the Charity Barnados Charlie Palmer, Kevin Rea and John Hookway took part in two triathlons, Charley’s first open water competition. The races involved a 200m lake swim, 10km traffic free bike and a 2.5 run.

Results Eliminator: Charlie Palmer 242nd 44:19; Kevin Rea 254th 45:09;John Hookway 297th in 50;32. Wooden Spoon Final: Palmer 115th 43:58; John Hookway 130th in 45:23 Kevin Rea 136th 45:45.

Catching up in the world of the Cotswold Waterland Aquathlon, so far 9 DRC athletes have competed in the series. Speedster Richard Pitts has only completed once so far in May with a time of 32:33 the fastest to date. July event saw a great turn out with 7 DRC athletes at South Cerney. Ray Williams was first home after a superfast swim, Chris Young just 45 seconds behind. In the battle of the DRC M60s Rob Woodward was first out of the water but Andy Kilby “put him to the sword” his words not mine on the run. Mel Williams led the DRC Women home