DURSLEY Running Club tried taking over the Chipping Sodbury Park Run last weekend with 38 runners using the event to celebrate the end of the club's second twelve-week Walk2Run Programme.

The programme builds participants running ability in a progressive manner. Twenty Walk2Runners were supported by a great turn out of Dursley members, some running as pacers.

Rich Shirley, Mark Brasier and Nigel Sankey paced no-one but themselves. Shirley was in second place and Brasier was third. Sankey came home in tenth place, with Fran Amigoni the first woman home.

The event saw personal bests for Antony Ball, Gillian Durden and Margaret Johnson, with Johnson acting as a pacer and yet to run the event at her true pace.

Paula Mellerup led the Walk2Runners home in a very decent pace. Neil Baldwin was second just 40 seconds behind, with Jo Shean third home in 29.41mins.

There was then a steady stream of Dursley runners finishing. Sue Davies paced Bev Cooper home to finish in 45.19mins and 45.18mins respectively, a great end to the programme for Cooper who had started as non runner and now finished by running 5K.

David Durden, chair of Dursley Running Club, said: “It is great to see individuals blossom through our Walk2Run Programme, either just by being able to start running others by achieving longer distances and or faster times than they thought they would ever achieve.

"We could not do this without the help of club members run leaders, coaches and volunteers, the club is extremely lucky to have such supportive members, we look forward to seeing many of the Walk2Runner continue to enjoy running with the club for many years to come”.

Results: Rich Shirley 2nd 18:51, Mark Brasier 3rd 19:15 (1st MV40); Nigel Sankey 10th 20:46; Hydn Smith 14, 21:29; Richard Smith 18th 22:00; Fran Amigoni 21st 22:44 (1st SenF); Sue Peachy 54th 24:59; Julian Peachy 58th 25:05; Anthony Ball 71st 25:52; Roly Hobbs 83rd 26:21; Paul Lewington 89th 25:25; Ina Davies 95th 26:49; Paula Mellerup 102nd 27:12; Margaret Johnson 103rd 27:12; Neil Baldwin 116th 27:52; Neil Truelove 117th 27:59; Jo Shean 144th 29:41; Gillian Durden 145th 29:55; Ali Chivers 149th 30:07; Caroline Whitlock 1151 30:14; Megan Wren 177th 32:57; Alice Smith 163rd 31:41; Sally Williams; Emily Mann 167th 32:05; Megan Warren 177th 32:57; Louise Beck 182nd 33:28; Kath Redmond 184th 33:29;Sarah Kiddle 185th 33:39; Sarah Miles 188th 34:08; Shona Darley 189th 34:08; Emma Richards 192nd 34:57 Emily Poskett 197th ; Damien Lai 198th 35:53; Kelly Witts 210 43:41; Cara Zoglowek 211th 44:15;bev Cooper 213th 45:18; Sue Davies 214th 45:19.

l On the same day, in rather different surroundings, Kate Browning was to be found with Dave Wood at round one of the 'Might Contain Nuts' series in the Brecon Beacons.

Browning selected the marathon option with Wood taking on the ultra-marathon with at least half of the ultra route at high level, consistently above 1,800 feet.

Wood reported that 'conditions were particularly inclement above 1,500 feet on the ridge lines with winds often gusting to fifty or 65mph, occasionally heavy rain and virtually zero visibility for long periods.'

Wood declared that he 'was just glad to finish in a time of around nine hours 45mins for the forty-plus miles.

Browning recalled 'plenty of mud', finishing in five hours 48.07mins and was second-placed female on a route which was more than 27 miles.

Sunday the 29th was Half Marathon day for Dursley Running Club. Hampton Court Half

Julie and Mike Froggatt running on behalf of Roy Castles Lung Cancer Foundation, Mike Froggatt had strong run over the flat two lap course; despite the wind and rain he finished in a time of 01:47:07 in 412th position. Julie Froggatt completed the course in 02:10:57 in 1421st position well inside her target of 02:15, Froggatt was running with other members of her family and they raised close to £1400 in memory of her father. In Gloucestershire Alice Lewis returned to the Hogweed Hilly Half with hopes of a repeat of her category win in 2014 , and was not disappointed with a run of around 01:52 (provisional) and was again first FV50. On the other side of the Severn the organisers thought “the weather was the best we could have hoped for - not too rainy, not too cold, not too windy!” for the Forest of Dean Spring Trail Half Marathon. Jon Tudor first in for Dursley concurred with the organiser’s weather assessment and commented that “the track itself was good with some sludge”. Tudor did not enjoy the first hill at around 4 mile nor the second at mile 10 but this did not stop him making a final charge along the flat to the finish. Behind him Margaret Johnson knocked just over 6 minutes off her 2014 time and placed 9th FV45 in the process, declaring herself “pleased” with the result. Behind these two front runners Mark Brasier, Fran Amigoni and Joe Browning kept each other company, possibly worried about the dangers of wild Boar or Amigoni expiring from heat exhaustion; as she had returned to running in a jacket. The trio were prepared to leave James Davies and Neil Truelove to fend for themselves, the two coming in just few minutes behind.

Results: Jonathon Tudor 268th 01:42:51; Margaret Johnson 390th 01:45:49 (9th FV45);

Mark Brasier 477th 01:48:43; Fran Amigoni 478th 01:48:48; Joe Browning 471st 01:48:58;

James Davies 489th 01:49:44; Neil Truelove 573rd 01:52:15 (Gun positions/Chip or net times)

Saturday the 21st of March had seen Dursley Running Clubs seasoned Triathlete Ray Williams complete a middle distance triathlon at Coasta Teguise in Lanzarote as part of his going lronman training. The race consisted in a 2000 metre sea swim, a 90k hilly bike ride and finished with a 20k run. It was an early start for Williams with bike racking started at 6.30 am and then a long wait for the critical pre-race facilities. The race started at 8am with the female athletes first off, then the teams and at five past eight the men. With a small field of around 90 triathletes the swimmers had plenty of room which made it a smooth and quick swim. Ray completed the two 1000m loops and a 100m sprint come waddle in a brisk time of 41.20. Spending a while in T1 Ray was then out on to the bike section, the first 5k of the course was all up hill, this was followed by a nice flat 25k, unfortunately the falter terrain was accompanied by rain and a head wind until the next 10k climb. Williams then turned back towards Teguise on the flat with a final climb before the descent to T2; he had a quicker change into his running shoes in T2 and was then off on the 3 lap coarse. His analysis of his run was that his “first lap was a little fast and so (he) paid the price and slowed” but he was still pleased with his time of 01.55.04 for 20k, saying that it was a “Great race and a good tester for the lronman in May”. Williams continued Dursley excellent run of age category results coming first V55.

Swim 2000m T1 Bike 90K T2 Run 20K Overall

Swim. 41.20 03:40 03:03:34 01:32 01:55:04 05:45:10

In an addendum to last weeks Cleevewold 14 race report Alice Lewis completed the race in 2.24.39 coming in 78th overall, 1st LV55 and was 7th woman overall lady.

The Club runs from Dursley Rugby Club on Tuesday nights, with five groups to cater for all paces with other runs organised in the week. Meet at 6.15 for a 6.30 start. Club runs are on the Road. Head torches and high viz vest are recommended. When then clocks go forward a number of groups will move to off-road running. Thursday structured training sessions will start again at the end of April. Please see the website: www.dursleyac.org.uk/cms for contact details and information, join the facebook page or just come along.