Dursley Running Club news

DAN Anderson placed an excellent second in the second running of the Seven Sinner event.

Both he and the winner beat Garry Hughes’, formerly of Dursley Running Club, course record.

Hopefully, this put Anderson on track for a good Dursley Dozen.

The first of the two mudfests that are the Seven Sinner took place on December 28.

Seven miles, seven hills and three Dursley athletes were on the first running.

The event is a tough trail race ascending almost immediately from a valley floor in the Forest of Dean near Blakeney and looping back and forth on trails, bridle ways and tracks.

The course follows a fast-flowing stream passing through two culverts passing under the main road.

The balance of the race alternating between treacherously slick and fiendishly sticky mud! Dursley were led home by Mark Sprigings just three seconds ahead of Chris Sweet.

Behind them and with an eye on a new pair of super grippy trail shoes for 2017 came Caroline Jones.

Results: 27.12.1: Mark Sprigings 43rd 01:07:45: Chris Sweet 44th (11th MV) 01:07:48; Caroline Jones 100th 01:22:14. 28.12.16: Dan Anderson 2nd, 49:15.

Ultra specialist Kate Browning has been in action in the Winter Cross Ultra, with organisers offering the opportunity to “Blow away the Christmas cobwebs with four out and back legs of different terrains and challenges”, the main challenge being to start and finish the forty five miles within daylight.

The course, a few miles to the north east of Southampton, is described as runnable and whilst it has some technical challenges with slippery descents on chalky tracks and grassy slopes that can be slippery when wet it is not a “mudder”.

Browning continued her excellent run of Ultra results as first woman home and eleventh overall in a time of seven hours 20:05mins.

There was a good turnout for the Christmas Eve parkruns with 34 Dursley athletes running across the Country.

Fastest was Neil Hodgson, running for the first time in Sedgfield with an impressive 75 per cent age grading.

Thomas Smith continues to run well at Kingsway, coming home fourth overall. Despite the windy conditions Antony Ball and Julie Fenn both ran personal bests at Kingsway with Pete Dunn achieving one at Wotton.

Robyn Jackson, a relative new comer to DRC, but an experienced runner, showed her speed at Stonehouse coming home fourth overall in 20:39mins, first in her category and over 71 per cent age grading.

Nigel Sankey led DRC home at Chipping Sodbury, with Garry Strickland and Steve Rugman both reaching their 50th parkrun on the day.

Over in the Forest of Dean, John Hookway was first home for DRC and third SM30-34. The New Year Weekend saw 42 DRC athletes making the last of 2016 or putting the best foot forward in 2017!

On the 31st Tom Smith was the fastest DRC athlete with 18:54, Steve Watson, Sadie Cotterell, Tony Ball, Sam Martin and Damian Lai all ran PBs at Kingsway. At Dalby Forest DRC tourists Garry and Tracey Strickland accompanied by Steve and Jude Rugman all ran course bests. On New Year day Nigel Sankey, Jon Tudor, Graham Tudor completed a double header of Chipping Sodbury and Pomphrey Hill parkruns on the same morning.