IT is always a bonus when there’s a race close to home, so close that it’s possible, even preferable, to cycle to and from the start.

The Severn Bridge Half Marathon is now in its fourth year, and after last year’s route change, it returned to the original course, on the English side of the Bridge and much of it familiar to Thornbury Running Club members.

The race has the novelty of starting on the closed-to-traffic carriageway of the Bridge and the Bank Holiday weekend weather was dry and rather too warm, but that did not prevent some great performances from the 13-strong team.

Showing the youngsters how it should be done, Nick Langridge was first home for the club by almost a quarter of an hour, knocking half-a-minute from his 2016 time to finish in one hour 38.26 minutes, second in the MV65 category and beaten only by a local rival from Dursley AC.

His time was so fast he was washed and changed before the finish team photos could be taken.

The majority of the club runners crossed the line in under two hours with a new personal best for Sonya Bryson in one hour 54.27minutes, a whole 12 minutes faster than last year.

In the main, times were a little slower, but the results included some half-marathon first timers as well as plenty of old-timers, and also provided a useful training race for those running an autumn marathon.

Other Thornbury finishers were Ian Evans (one hour 52.55minutes); Kevin Cundy (one hour 53.49minutes); Chris Foley (one hour 53.59minutes and 4th MV65);Hugh McPherson (one hour 56.45minutes); Mike Bennewitz (one hour 58.27minutes); Angela Bushell (one hour 59.41minutes); Sarah Newnes (two hours 1.35minutes); Libby Pengelly (two hours 10.20minutes); David Flemington (two hours 24.07minutes); Elly Pyne (two hours 33.18minutes); and Rachel Murphy (two hours 33.19minutes).

Meanwhile, the Avon Athletic Association Road Relays were also held on Sunday, with a team of four Thornbury men competing in the event, starting at Cleeve Playing Fields near Backwell and run on quiet country roads and footpaths.

This is a club event and competition is stiff but Thornbury fielded four of their best, with each runner completing the 5k in a good time.

Jim Godden did 18.50mins, Andrew Darton 18.52mins; Nick Williams 18.18mins and Dylan Roberts 19.03mins.

The total time of one hour 15.03mins put them in sixth place.

Only four parkrun times were recorded by Thornbury members on Saturday, Kevin Arnold took part in his 107th run at Burnham and Highbridge where he recorded 23.10minutes for his first outing on the course.

At Chipping Sodbury, Liz Dix finished in 27.23mins, two secs and two places in front of David Palmer, 27.25mins, and Anne Palmer completed the run in 32.23mins.

A final reminder that the lanes around Oldbury and Sheppardine will used by the 400 entrants in the Oldbury Power 10-miler race next Sunday, 3 September. The race starts at the Power Station at 10.30am and includes the Avon AA 10-mile championships.