THORNBURY Running Club’s Nancy Harding dipped her toe into the pool of triathlon, taking part in The First Tri event at Lydney on Sunday, April 24.

This is billed as ideal for newcomers, with a 400m pool swim; 22km bike and 5.5k run.

Thankfully the swim was, as always, the first part and once out of the way, Harding began to come into her own.

Slight lack of experience delayed her in transitions, but she had a good bike section, pulling her up several places. No surprise that the run was her fastest discipline as she covered the distance in 27.22 minutes, third fastest lady of the race.

This brought her to 14th gender position and first in her age category in a total time of one hour 42.17 minutes and 82nd in a field of 125.

Altogether, this was a first performance to be proud of.

Most Thornbury runners discovered the Bluebell Blunder by mistake last year when their Saturday training run passed through the start.

This year they resolved to return and take part in the hilly 10k-ish race, which started from Bigsweir in the Wye Valley.

In beautiful spring sunshine and breathing the scent of bluebells and wild garlic, the first runner home for the club was Dylan Roberts in a good 14th place in 53.10 minutes, followed by Paul Thomas, 18th in 54.51 minutes.

Nick Langridge led the Vet60 Thornbury men in 38th place in 59.32 minutes, keeping well ahead of the ladies with Emma Barnes second senior lady, 39th in one hour and 24 seconds, Clare Watt second LV50, 42nd in one hour 1.58 minutes then Nancy Harding third LV50 and 45th in one hour 2.40 minutes. Pete Mainstone (67th in one hour 8.47 minutes) found a different lady to compete with this week, and again triumphed, just one second ahead of Angela Bushell.

Mike Bennewitz in one hour 10.02 minutes was in 75th place with Jerry Clothier 78th in one hour 10.52 minutes.

Paul Clark decided to try the Ashton Court parkrun course on Saturday with its infamous hill, finishing 20th in 20.19 minutes, understandably slower than his Little Stoke times.

Meanwhile, into the final month of Little Stoke parkrun Garry Slater completed the 5k course in 11th place in exactly 19 minutes, followed by Kevin Arnold in 22.36 minutes and “the other Kevin”, Cundy, in 22.58 minutes.

For details of all Thornbury Running Club’s meetings and races, see thornburyrunningclub.co.uk