ANOTHER week full of activity for all sections of Dursley Running Club with the club handicap series starting on Tuesday, two races as part of the Gloucestershire AAA Road Race series, the ever-present parkrun and a middle distance triathlon to top it all.

The Titan had been selected as DRC Tri Teams middle distance team event for 2019. Set in the Brecon Beacons it includes a 1900m Swim a 60-mile bike (with over 4600ft of climbing) finished off with a tough 13.1 mile run with nearly 1000ft of climbing. Eighteen headed to Wales on Friday. The weather forecast was poor and it was announced that the swim would be shortened to 750m.

The bike course was challenging to say the least, a combination of slippery descents and tough climbs. The rain continued to come down until late morning when the sunshine arrived. DRC Tri Team were also on course supporting those competing, and the jelly babies on offer at the top of the 4.5 mile climb up Iron mountain were much appreciated. At T2 Jennie Marshall and Tara Truman showed their experience, in and out in 01:46 and 01:54 respectively. The final discipline of the run consisted of 13.1 miles over 3 laps around the lake and out into the hills behind with six long steep climbs and six descents taking its toll on tired bodies.

Mark Histed was first home for DRC in a time of 06:10:14, Breen clawed some time back in T2 and it was only on the run that Luke Russell could put a dent into Mark’s lead. Zoe Lamerton was fourth in for the team and first DRC lady home in a fantastic 06:31:34, 12th woman overall, with Fran Amigoni 13th overall. DRC Tri had strong category results with Jennie Marshall once again 1st SuperVet50, Zoe Lamerton 4th Vet40, Lyn Murray 5th SuperVet50, and Fran Amigoni 6th Senior Woman.

Results , (Overall Time); Mark Histed, 84th, 06:10:14; Paul Breen, 101st 06:16:49; Luke Russell, 115th, 06:22:23; Zoe Lamerton, 132nd, 06:31:34;Francesca Amigoni, 146th, 06:39:10; Jennie Marshall, 155th, 06:44:34; Richard Lewis, 168th, 06:51:03; Lynette Murray, 197th, 07:05:00; Julian Peachey, 201st , 07:06:47; Joanna Robinson, 215th,07:17:45; Tara Truman, 221st ,07:22:01; Susan Peachey, 227th 07:25:40; Shane Bond, 231st, 07:30:16; Tanya Collin-Histed, 252nd, 07:52:32; Sandra Lewis, 262nd, 08:13:35; Sarah Willcox, 217th,08:47:12;

The Cirencester Summer Sizzler 10K was first of two Gloucestershire Road Race events taking place over the week took place.

A junior race preceded the senior race on Wednesday evening with seven of Dursley Junior athletes running. The race started at a hectic pace, DRC juniors were led through lap one by Luke Davis with Bill Smith hard on his heels and Alex Lygo also close in attendance. Freddie Turner was next through on the first lap with Adam Peak and Ted Smith coming through after Turner, both running controlled races. Harriet and Tom Sweet were looking after each other in the U9 category. The positions didn’t change over the second lap although Bill Smith was closing in on Davis with just 8 seconds separating them on the line. Bill Smith was first U11B, with Lygo 2nd in the same category and Davis 2nd in the U15B category.

For the senior 10K Annette Heylings, Margaret Badger, Nicki Cowle, Alice Lewis, David Saunders, Steve Barnes, Graham Tudor, Andy Kilby, David Quarterman and Dave Durden were on the start line. Strong performances from Lewis and Saunders saw them first in category, with Tudor, Kilby and Heylings also running well. Results: David Durden , 50th , (8th M50), 41:13; Graham Tudor , 160th , (4th M60), 47:07; Alice Lewis, 173rd , (1st F60), 47:50; Andy Kilby, 212th , (8th M60), 49:12; David Saunders, 213th , (1st M70), 49:32; David Quarterman , 351st , (36th M50), 54:10, Margaret Badger , 468th , (27th F450, 59:13; Annette Heylings , 478th , (6th F65), 59:32; Steve Barnes , 493rd , (23rd M60), 01:00:45; Nicki Cowle, 577th, (57th F40), 01:08:30.

The second AAA race of the week Bourton Hilly half and there was another strong showing by DRC in the age categories in the County Half Marathon Champion-ship: Gold for Alice Lewis, Silver for Annette Heylings and Dave Saunders. A new course and poor weather made it another gruelling event; torrential rain soaked the athletes at the start and then four steep accents and descents tested the runners to their limits. Results: Dave Durden 23rd (5th M50) 01:36:03; Alice Lewis 47th (1st F55), 01:52:00; Dave Saunders 54th (2ndM70) 01:58:15: Annette Heylings 65th (2nd F65+) 02:27:51; Steve Barnes, 66th (6th M60) 02:27:58. This leaves Dave Saunders 1st M70, Alice Lewis 1st F60 Eileen Hieron 2nd F75 Annette Heylings and Dave Durden as 3rd F65 and M50 respectively in the current Glos AAA Road Race Standings

The week had started with the first race in the DRC Club handicap series; members of Frampton Running Group and New Berkeley Harriers also running. A really controlled run saw DRC’s Jeff Pearce come home in first position. Frampton Running Group 's Sophie Haines and Sarah Younger where next home with Sofia Weaver first DRC woman to finish just six seconds in front of Natalie Sankey. Darren Smith was first runner home for NBH in 27th position. DRC’s Mike Crompton was fastest runner on the night in 20:43, with Nigel Sankey, Simon Jones and Jon Tudor not too far apart on time. Zoe Lamerton was quickest woman in 25:26. Patrick Champion was fastest NBH in 24:09 and Thomas Jones FRG 26:17.