The Big Cheese is a 15-mile race hosted by Cheddar Running Club, and the course is mainly offroad and muddy with three substantial climbs.

After a good run in 2015, Thornbury Running Club's Rob Cowlard decided to take a couple of chums with him as he aimed to improve his performance.

Running well, he was a creditable 7th in one hour 47.17minutes, a great eight-and-a-half minute improvement. In one hour 59.32minutes Jim Godden was 28th finisher and Rob Hopkins was 34th in two hours 2.19minutes.

Easter is always a good time for 'parkrun tourism' and Kevin & Suzanne Cundy took on the Clermont Waterfront event in Florida. Being a holiday they had a relaxed run around the course together in 39.11minutes.

Elsewhere Richard Jackson ran 21.32minutes at St Albans and at home at Little Stoke, Kevin Arnold completed the 5k in 22.31mintes; Neil Roff in 22.46minutes and Becky Griffin in 28.56minutes.

Thornbury Running Club is already busy planning the next of its three annual races.

The Thornbury 10k will be back, this year on Thursday 14 July, starting at 7.30pm. The accurately measured course is on quiet undulating country lanes on the outskirts of the town where competitors will be well looked after by the Club’s friendly marshals. It is a relaxed, hassle-free, but – for those who want it – very competitive road race over the ever-popular 10k distance with, for the first time, chip timing.

There will be substantial cash prizes for breaking the course record as well as team prizes. Plenty of help and encouragement too for those trying the distance for the first time. For online entry, see the Club website thornburyrunningclub.co.uk which also gives details of all other Club activities.