DURSLEY Running Club hosted the Gloucestershire AAA Cross Country December meet, writes David Durden.

The Sunday events started with a small, but determined band of juniors.

Joe Dunn was first DRC home on the day, in his first AAA cross country outing in the U11s boys' race finishing strongly. In the U11 girls' race Lila Heath produced a controlled run.

The cream of the DRC’s runs was from Lucy Holdsworth in the U11s. So far she has finished in the top ten twice in her earlier races. With a quick start she was always in touch with the front-runners. She came in the last section in fifth, a kick moved her into third place but a Team Bath athlete managed to come back at Holdsworth, who came home third just in front of a fast finishing Gloucester AC runner.

Nine DRC woman were at the start of their 6.4km race. Robyn Wait (Jackson) and Margaret Johnson made good progress after a difficult start. Wait ran a strong race finishing in 12th position 6th senior woman.

Behind Wait Johnson placed 3rd F50 and Alice Lewis 2nd F60. Relative newcomers to cross country, Rachel Brown, Nic Christopher and Jo Fearn ran controlled races.

Kathryn White returned home to compete whilst Teresa Walton ventured out to her first Glos. AAA XC league event and finished 9th V60. Eileen Hieron was 1st F75.

The senior men didn’t need to much encouragement to start quickly and the ground condition abetted this approach.

DRC men’s team felt the absence of Mike Brown and James Everett, but a senior team of some strength lined up, with Paul Hockings, Dan Anderson, Mike Crompton, Matt Read, Matt Hazel-Livall, Andrew Truswell, Nigel Sankey and Jon Tudor representing DRCs senior hopes.; the veterans by Tony Wooldridge, Martin Bragg, Andy Kilby and Dave Durden.

Starting Hockings and Anderson were quickly out on front of the rest of DRC. They had a good tussle with Hockinsg eventually coming out on top to finish 4th M40. Read and Hazel-Livall followed.

After his Brecon Marathon the previous week Hazel-Livall fell back but he held on to produce a counting score for the team. Just behind Andrew Truswell had another good race. Dave Durden led the veterans team home, with Tony Wooldridge easing away from Martin Bragg on the last lap , bothexcelling in the V60 category respectively 2nd and 4th. DRc stalwart Kevin Jackson ran a steady race, with Andy Kilby sprinting in to complete the day for Dursley.

Results: U11G Lila Heath, 47th 12:32; U11B H Joe Dunn; U13G Lucy Holdsworth 4th 12:28.

Senior women: Robyn (Jackson) Wait, 12th (6th SenW) 25:21; Margaret Johnson, 41st (3rd F50), 27:47; Alice Lewis, 63rd (2nd F60), 29:39; Nicola Christopher, 88th (25th SenF), 31:25; Rachel Brown, 94th (11th F45), 32:04; Kathryn White, 102nd (26th SenF), 32:47; Teresa Walton, 137th (9th F60) 38:59; Jo Fearns, 141st (F40 11th), 43:28; Eileen Hieron, 142nd (FV75 1st), 44:13.

Dursley senior women’s A: 12th (116) B 27th (284) C 31st (420). Dursley Masters Women’s Team A 8th (198), B 19th (420)

Senior men: Paul Hocking, 24th (4th M40) 34:10; Dan Anderson, 31st (25th SenM) 34:47; Mike Crompton, 36:05 (42nd SenM); 77th (53rd SenM) 38:04; Matt Hazel-Livall, 105th (65th SenM) 39:38; Andrew Truswell, 108th (66th SenM); David Durden, 120th (13th M50) 40:36; Nigel Sankey, 123rd (70th SenM) 40:52; Tony Wooldridge, 128th (2nd M60+), 41:14; Jonanthon Tudor, 136th ((73rd SenM), 42:00; Martin Bragg 138th (4th M60+) 42:17; Kevin Jackson, 165th (12th M55), 44:57; Andy Kilby, 182nd (9th M60), 47:00.

Dursley senior men' A: 8th (394); 21st (810). Dursley Masters' men’s A: 7th (410).

Dave Saunders completed the Chilly Hilly 10 Mile race on the Isle of Wight; in gale force winds and ankle deep mud. He finished 97th (1st MV65) in a time of 01:32:57, five minutes quicker than 2017.

Midweek, three Dursley runners were in the Forest of Dean for the first of the Rogue Runs series of night runs. On a testing and varied course with a thigh deep river crossing Matt Read finished in 26th place in just over forty minutes. Kevin Brockway and Rachel Brown were 200th (20th M50) and 201st (8th F45) respectively, in just over the hour.

Mark Sprigings completed a challenging Marathon in Lanzarote, over a testing 13.1 mile out and back course along the coastal path, on a notoriously windy island. Temperatures reached 28 degrees and the second half was run into a 30mph headwind.

He said: “This was my 10th marathon in two years and most definitely the hardest, not even one of my top five times, but I was thoroughly happy with 03:39 and final position of 109th from 604.”

The day before he had seen his children Harry and Olivia take part in the Buddy Marathon Race and getting their medals for completing a short course. The other marathon runner over the weekend was Quentin Somerset, DRC Member and founder of New Berkeley Harriers, completing the “Run to the Castle Ultra Marathon” and notching up is 88th Marathon.

Tel Cother ran his 50th parkrun on the Saturday. He was joined by eleven DRC of the thirty-one DRC parkrunners, Joining him at Wotton Carly Heath ran a PB of 29:44 with Stuart Watts, Wotton, Andy Probert, and Charly Palmer, Gloucester Central, and Andrew Obourne, Newport also running course bests. Quickest parkrun was Pete Chaffer, at Riverside in the North East, highest AG for DRC of 72.8% whilst Lise Hindshaw was quickest DRC female parkrunner with 25:02 at Wotton, AG 63.45%.

At the Sudeley Castle Santa Runs. Liz Hill flew the junior flag in the 1k. Running very well she came in 2nd girl and 6th (tbc) overall, with her younger brother Henry Hill completing the Toddler Dash. Four seniors took part in the muddy and hilly 8k Steve Rugman was the first DRC home in 54.32; Sam Hill 01:10:54; Julie Furneaux 01:11:11; Tracey Strickland 1:17:03; Jude Rugman 1:17:16.