FROM Lanzarote to the Brecon Beacons as well as closer to home, Dursley Running Club were out in force, writes David Durden.

Matt Hazel-Livall showed that he was a man of many talents, competing in the Might Contain Nuts Brecon event. Hazell-Livall finished the race in 8th-place in a time of 4 hours and 37 minutes.

Of the 110 entrants only 86 started, with some on the day opting to do the half instead of the full due to the weather. Hazel-Livall said: “It was a great day and an awesome atmosphere.”

Meanwhile, eight DRC athletes were on the windy and rocky island of Lanzarote, for four consecutive days of racing at the Lanzarote Running Challenge. The events include a 10k road race, 13k ridge run, 5k beach run and finishes with a half-marathon, and it is a popular multi-challenge event for British runners seeking races in warmer climes. Four DRC Athletes took part in all four events with another four picking and choosing what to do. Mouse Clutterbuck confirmed that the races had all taken place in over 25 degrees Celsius with day of the half-marathon being the hottest.

Despite the conditions, 169 men and 112 women completed all four events. Neil Parry was best placed for DRC, 79th in the men’s standings, Mel Williams the only DRC female athlete to complete all four and placing 7th in her category, Mouse Clutterbuck and Andy Kilby both ran very well finishing 7th and 8th in their respective categories. Kilby having a particularity good half marathon. Avril and Fred Yearsley ran well in their selected races, Avril placing 2nd F65 in the 10K whilst Fred was 3rd M65 in the 13K Ridge Run, which John Delafield also ran. There was more local interest with Kate Sackett from Cirencester placing an impressive 2nd in the F55 Category.

Results (10K, 13K Ridge Run, 5K Beach Run, 21K, Overall (Time Pos. (Cat Pos).

Neil Parry, 43:57 83rd (8th M50); 01:06:25,90th (12th M50); 23:10, 91st (12th M50); 01:41:34 106th (16th M50); 03:55:05 79th (11th M50); Mouse Clutterbuck, 45:43, 101st (8th M55); 01:07:10, 98th (10th M55); 24:19, 111th (10th M55); 01:44:27, 119th (9th M55); 04:01:37, 95th, (7th M55); Andy Kilby, 48:37, 133rd (9th M60); 01:11:48, 129th (12th M60); 24:34, 119th (11th M60), 01:44:00, 116th (7th M60), 04:08:58, 110th (8th M60); Mel Williams, 52:35, 71st, (6th F55); 01:17:51, 76th (7th F55); 27:07, 57th (6th F55); 01:56:35, 72nd (7th F55), 04:34:07, 58th, (7th F55); Ray Williams, 53:41, 173rd (17th M55); 01:17:47, 158th (17th M60); DNS 5K Beach Run; 2:00:38 168th (17th M60).

10K only: Avril Yearsley 55:41, 88th (2nd F65); 13K Ridge Run only: Fred Yearsley, 01:13:03 137th (3rd M65); John Delafield, 01:13:09, 139th (16th M55).

13K Ridge Run only: Fred Yearsley, 01:13:03 137th(3rdM65); John Delafield, 01:13:09, 139th(16thM55); Zoe Fowler 01:21:32, 87th(14thF40).

Meanwhile, Santa hats were “de rigeur” down at Old Down, where it was unseasonably warm for a Santa run. Rachel Brown finished 2nd overall female in a 10K race. She reported that the course was quite tough, being hilly and muddy. Brown finished 23rd overall in 01:00:46 and the unlucky Kevin Brockway pulled out with an injury at the halfway mark whilst leading the men in the 10K race.

The first of December saw 16 DRC athletes running at Gloucester, Newent and Wotton parkruns. It was Kevin Jackson’s parkrun debut at Gloucester Central and he recorded the fastest DRC parkrun of the weekend to celebrate breaking his duck, 21:43, also with the highest DRC male age grading of the weekend. Margaret Johnson was just behind him with an excellent run of 21:56, but was pipped to DRC’s highest age grading by Alice Lewis recording 78.9% at Wotton. Julie Gowing celebrated her 25th parkrun volunteering Saturday, and as with all the other parkrun volunteers from DRC and other clubs helps provide vital support for these great running events.