JANUARY kicked-off saw a small, but determined band of Dursley Running Club Athletes at Rendcombe school near Circencester, taking part in the county championships.

It was a bitterly cold day for the U17s and over with two thigh deep river crossings on each lap.

Even the U13s had smaller water courses to run though as well as testing terrain throughout the course. DRC had just the two runners in the senior women's race, Alice Lewis leading the F60s home and first home for the club, with Jo Fearns putting in a great effort to place 10th F40.

Dave Durden was DRC's solitary senior male, running three large laps, with six significant water crossings. Coming back from illness he ran a steady race placing 5th in his category. There was some very strong running from the juniors with Charlie Wosfield placing 3rd in the U13 boys with his brother Joel 7th in the U17s. Lucy Holdsworth continued her fine season with a 5th in the girls U13s.

Results: MU13, Charlie Wosfield 3rd 13:42; MU17 Joel Worsfield 7th 19:10; LU13 Lucy Holdsworth 5th 16:22; Senior Women: Alice Lewis 37th (1st F60) 34:17; Jo Fearns 76th(10th F40) 49:03; Senior Men: Dave Durden 62nd (5th M50) 44:22.

Fourteen DRC athletes were at the Gloucester 10-mile event on December 30 to finish off their competitive year.

Unfortunately, a marshal misdirected some of the earlier runners leading to Matt Hazel Livall and Kevin Jackson having to run an extra 6th of a mile. This didn't stop them coming home respectively first and second for DRC. The Beyond Limitation organisation failing to pick up Kevin's finish and also Jackie G Pennington who came in as a late entry.

Great running from DRC in the age categories headed by Eileen Hieron 1st F70. Annette Heylings 4th F60, Di Gore 5th F60. Annette was super pleased with her run three and a half minutes quicker than last year.

Matt Livall managed a top 20 finish despite the misdirection. Steve Barnes placed 11th M60, and received a special thank keeping another runner company over the ten miles, helping them keep going. Results (provisional): Matt Livall, 40th, 1:10:56, (20th M30-39); Francesca Amigoni, 85th , 1:16:51, (10th F30-30); Paul Breen , 86th, 01:17:06, (31st 30-39); Nick Fennell, 286th, 01:36:34, (58th 30-39); Jackie Pennington, (Pos. tbc) 01:40, tbc; Annette Heylings, 322nd , 1:42:19, (4th F60-69); Steve Barnes, 325th , 1:43:20, (11th M60-69; Emma Keating, 330th , 1:44:28, (57th F40-49); Dominique. Pemberton, 331st 1:44:28, (41st F30-39); Diana Gore, 341st, 1:45:03, (5th F60-69); Sarah Newall, 361st , 1:49:12, (67th F40-49); Suzanne Moss, 363rd , 1:49:13, (69th F40-49); Karen Eadon, 367th , 1:49:27, (33rd F50-59); Terry Cother, 370th 01:49:28, (34th M50-59); Eileen Hieron, 374th, 01:50:07, (1st F70).

The festive period saw a number or races. There were good conditions for the 7 Sins race held in the Forest of Dean.

The route includes seven hills and two tunnels of icy cold water to wade through. First in for Dursley was Chris Sweet who made a great time of 1:06 despite forgetting his trail shoes with the right shoes a sub one hour is possible.

Mouse Clutterbuck finished in with a time of 01:15. Caroline Jones was 12th female overall with a time of 01:19. Paul Gebbett was the sole representative at Bowstones New Years Eve Fell race in Lyme Park finishing in a time of 56:31, 103rd place, another runner returning from illness who was pleased with a steady outing blowing the cobwebs away.

New Year's Day saw Severn ACs traditional five miler from the Pilot Inn, Hardwick. Nine Dursley runners lined up for simple out and back, but undulating course. Alice Lewis was first lady and with Mel Williams and Janet Matthews picked up the women's team prize. DRC runners dominated the small field this year with 6 first places in category two seconds and one fourth.

Results: Nigel Sankey , 7th , SenM, 2nd, 32:28; Alice Lewis, 15th, F60 , 1st , 37:04; Mouse Clutterbuck, 16th, M55, 1st , 38:45; Richard Hensman, 20th, M40, 4th , 40:39; Ray Williams, 22nd, M69, 2nd , 42:05; Mel Williams, 23rd, F55, 1st , 42:05; Janet Matthews, 26th, F40, 1st , 44:03; Deb Peake, 27th, F35, 1st , 45:15; Cara Zoglowek, 30th, F45 , 1st , 58:55.

Parkrun continued on throughout the festive period including on Christmas Day. Last weekend Pete Chaffer toped the age grade grades with Veronica Higgins posting the highest female AG.

Andy Probert, Caroline Harper-Easthope and Stuart Watts all ran PBs. Matt Hazel-Livall was quickest DRC male at 20:10 (Wotton) With Harper-Easthope also the quickest DRC woman with her run of 28:36. The fifth of January saw 34 DRC parkrunners out. Neil Parry broke his duck in Queenstown New Zealand with the men's highest AG of the weekend of 67.99, but Jackie Gilmour topped the AG with 72.07% at Kingsway, Shona Darley quickest woman with 26:26 at Wotton. Mike Crompton sizzled around Wotton in 19:35. Russell Rolls ran a PB of 22:22 (Chipping Sodbury) with Stuart Watts notching up his second PB in a number of weeks at Wotton with a time of 21:17.