LAST weekend saw the start of the cross country season with races in both the Gloucester League and the Gwent League.

Starting on Saturday, teams from Thornbury Running Club travelled to Guiting Power, where once again Bourton Road Runners hosted the event at Adam's Farm; the Cotswold Farm Park.

The weather is guaranteed to be a couple of degrees colder and it is often windy at this venue, but the ground drains quickly and it was a pleasant running temperature with little mud underfoot.

This course has the challenge of fields that have apparently been used for quarrying Cotswold Stone with grassed-over bumps and hollows no more than a few feet in depth and height, but nevertheless a test of strength and stamina.

In the ladies race, Ros Rowland came 44th and second in the over-50 category in a time of 29:42 for the 6.5k course.

For Angela Bushell it was her first cross country race for two years and she was happy with 118th place in 35:20.

Judy Mills was also having her first race since an injury in May and was pleased just to be able to finish in 129th place and 37:05; not quite at the back.

The men's team included two runners who had run a full marathon six days previous; one of these, Rob Hopkins was the first club member to finish, 123rd in 33:30 for the 9.5k course.

Paul Thomas followed, 156th in 39:55, Nick Langridge was third in the vet 60 category; 204th overall in 43:08, though being chased by the other marathoner, Jim Williams, 210th in 43:41.

Anthony Yates was having his first cross country outing, finishing 238th in 46:40, and says he will be back for more, while Arthur Renshaw completed the team, 248th in 49:35.

Only one Thornbury member took on a parkrun on Saturday, Daniel Harding having a gentle jog round the Little Stoke course to finish in 26:54.

There were just under 250 finishers in the Cricklade Half Marathon, including a Thornbury husband and wife team.

Trina Willis showed she is still capable of easily beating the two-hour mark, coming 164th overall and eighth in the FV50 category in 1:55:25.

Mike Willis was fourth in the MV60 age group, finishing 116th in 1:47:46, though with the ability for a much faster time.