CLC Striders Race report for weekend of 2 and 3 November 2024
Gloucestershire Cross-Country League – Cirencester Park – Round 2, Saturday 2 November 2024
Cirencester Park was the venue for the second round of the Gloucestershire Cross-Country League. The weather was ideal for running – cool, overcast and only a gentle breeze. A contingent of twenty-three CLC Striders represented the club, split between the men’s and women’s race, fourteen and nine respectively.
The course was new and fairly mild as a XC experience, certainly less challenging than previous years. However, the pace was markedly higher so the effort remained full on. The men’s course was four laps, each consisting of a gradual incline, a flatter section and returning with a downhill, for a total of 5.9 miles. The women ran three loops, the first being slightly shortened for a total of 3.6 miles. First to race were the women and Kate Telford was the first of the Striders home in 23:35 (as 4th LV35), closely followed by Helen Knight (as 1st LV45) in 23:49. Fiona Brady-Miller continued her good form, coming home in 26:39, closely pursued by Stephanie Parker in 26:51. Other finishers were Amelia Mullins in 27:53, Laura Elsworthy in 28:20, Hifsa in O’Kelly 29:56, Nicola Weager in 30:08 and Rebecca Reynolds in 30:52.
The CLC Ladies were the 8th team on the day and they remain 7th in the league overall. The Ladies Masters were 3rd on the day and remain 2nd in the league.
The men then completed the racing for the day. First Strider home, in 34:22 and 32nd place (as 4th MV35) was Joe Willgoss. An impressive return to form after injury saw Richard Elsworthy storm through the finish in 34:55. Rob Green was conserving energy, with his eyes on the Guy Fawkes Five the following day, cruising round in a solid time of 36:25. The remaining finishers were Thomas Fletcher in 36:35, Rob Barnett in 37:37, Gavin Woods in 38:08, Chris Driskell in 39:28, Richard Aarons in 39:55, Liam Richardson in 40:44, Nick Ledwold in 41:00, Tim Brock in 42:53, Eoin McQuone in 43:56, Luke Hunter in 45:06 and Gary Farquharson in 45:19. Max Harrison-Tosatto completed the course as a ‘second claim’ Strider in 34:05.
The CLC Men were the 7th A team on the day, with the B team in 17th. Overall, the A team lie in 8th place in the league, and the B team have moved up off the bottom! In the Masters, the men have moved into 6th place after two races.
CLC Striders ladies cross country team at Cirencester Park From left to right: Helen Knight, Hifsa O’Kelly, Fiona Brady-Miller, Nicola weaver, Stephanie Parker, Amelia Mullins, Rebecca Reynolds, Laura McEvoy and Kate Telford
CLC Striders mens cross country team at Cirencester Park Back row from left to right: Gary Farquharson, Rich Elsworthy, Gavin Woods, Chris Driskell, Tim Brock, Nick Ledwold, Rob Green, Max Harrison-Tosatto, Joe Willgoss, Liam Richardson, Richard Aarons and Luke Hunter Front row, kneeling: Eoin McQuone Front row, reclining: Tom Fletcher
Guy Fawkes Five – Tewkesbury Running Club, Sunday 3 November 2024
The next day saw the popular annual Guy Fawkes Five, a five-mile road race hosted by Tewkesbury Running Club around the quiet lanes south of Tewkesbury Academy school. The event was also the final race in the Gloucestershire Road Race Series for 2024. Conditions were once again perfect for racing, with no wind, and the course, which is prone to flooding was mercifully very dry.
After saving his energy in the cross-country the day before, Rob Green completed the unbelievable feat of a perfect clean sweep of all eight of the races in the series with yet another first place in a field of almost 500 runners. Probably the first athlete to ever score maximum points across the year, Rob Green led the field home in a time of 25:56 – only just outside his PB time for the five-mile distance. As a specialist triathlete, Rob is realising that he’s not a bad runner, and the club is incredibly proud to have him in its cohort. His commitment to local road racing has earned its due reward. Well done Rob.
Next home was Tom Burgess, surprising himself with a confidence-boosting run of 28:20 for 16th place overall after a long period of struggling with form and injury. Paul Northup registered a solid 32:20 for 5th place in his V55 category, ducking just inside the top 50 finishers in the men’s race for 48th place. Not far behind, Joel Freeland was next home in 32:42, after landing back in the UK the night before from a family holiday. The only CLC Striders lady racing, Rhianna Evans, clocked 35:40, MV60 Mike Speke finished in 38:14 and Andrew Danson in 38:17.
Rob Green powers home in first place at the Guy Fawkes Five
The first four CLC Striders finishers at the Guy Fawkes Five, from left to right: Paul Northup, Tom Burgess, Rob Green and Joel Freeland
New York Marathon, Sunday 3 November 2024
Meanwhile, continuing the trend of club members competing in the global marathon majors, on the other side of the Atlantic, CLC Strider Ryan O’Donnell was competing in the New York City Marathon, battling for a time of 3:26:40 and enjoying the support and the whole atmosphere. Well done Ryan.