CLC Striders race report from Sunday 23 February 2025
Bourton 10k - Sunday 23 February 2025
Hosted by Bourton Road Runners
With many fearing the worst after watching the long-range weather forecast earlier in the week, in the end just over 600 runners avoided the incoming rain, just having to battle against the storm force winds.
The annual Bourton 10k always draws a high calibre field, and this year was no exception, with the winner clocking 31:44, 30 finishing in under 35 minutes and no less than 130 runners finishing in under 40 minutes. And, among those taking their place on the starting line in the centre of the village were 24 CLC Striders.
First home for the club, with a really strong run, was the always-impressive Joe Willgoss, finishing 15th overall in 33:45. He was followed very closely by Rob Barnett, who ducked in under 34 minutes for a new 10k PB of 33:59 for 17th place. Third CLC finisher was the irrepressible Tom Fletcher, who ran one of the road races of his life for a time of 36:29 and a top 50 finish.
Then came a crop of Striders breaking the 40-minute barrier. First of these, making his club debut and running what was his first ever road 10k, was Will McNeile in 38:49. Another club debutant, Jonathan Margetts, ran well to clock 39:20 for his fastest time on an officially measured course. VM55 Paul Northup broke his own club age category record, finishing in 39:34, with Richard Aarons, building back well after autumnal illness, clocking 39:41, Alex Doherty battling for 39:46, and Kate Telford finishing 3rd in her LV35 category, despite a stitch, in a time of 39:56.
Still settling back into ‘normal’ running after completing her Arc of Attrition 100-mile ultra in January, Helen Knight ran 40:38, Josh Hadland fought hard for his 41:13 and Tim Brock smashed his previous PB by 15 seconds in a time of 42:12.
Four Striders finished within a minute of each other – Eoin McQuone in 43:11, registering an identical time to a returning Rachel Vines, also in 43:11, Gary Farquharson in in 43:23 and Rhianna Evans running a new 10k PB time of 44:04.
Nick Ledwold paced his new club member partner Nia Comley to her hoped-for 45-minute time, both crossing the line in 45:16.While, nursing a swollen knee, Nigel Bailey clocked 45:23, and David Orme 46:50.
The final club quartet to finish were Mike Speke in 49:38, second claim runner Jo Amos in 50:37, 75 year-old super-vet David James in 51:26 and Tanya Evans in 53:21.
Pictured (not all of us!) at the Bourton 10k Back row, from left to right: Will McNeile, Nia Comley, Nick Ledwold, Jon Margetts, Rhianna Evans, Richard Aarons, Tom Fletcher, Alex Doherty, Rob Barnett, David Orme, Nigel Bailey and Paul Northup Front row, from left to right: Mike Speke, David James, Kate Telford and Eoin McQuone
Wokingham Half Marathon
Meanwhile, further afield, two Striders were racing in the prestigious Wokingham Half Marathon. Again doing battle with the wind (especially in the last 5k), Will Pearce beat his 85-minute target in a time of 1:24:43 and Adam Greenwood clocked a PB time of 1:27:04
Pictured, Adam Greenwood (left) and Will Pearce (right) at the Wokingham Half Marathon.