Cheltenham half marathon 2025
The annual Cheltenham Half Marathon event draws runners from all over the region and this year CLC Striders fielded no less than 34 runners. Conditions were calm and clear – after days of wind and rain – and the temperature had dropped too. All those on the start line were relieved and excited to test themselves around the Cheltenham streets over the 13.1-mile distance. There were some standout achievements, Championship qualifying times, and multiple PBs on the day – which, even though the course is not officially licensed and so don’t officially ‘count’, we are proud to list here.
First home for the club, in a new PB (and London Marathon Championship entry qualifying time) was the talismanic Rob Green, who was 7th overall in a superb 1:10:48.3. Joe Willgoss was second Strider finisher, also recording a half marathon PB with a superb time of 1:13:59.6 for 11th place overall. Pete Duffy, running his first Home Half in Striders colours, was only 14 seconds behind in a PB time of 1:14:13.3 for 13th place and a gutsy run from Tom Fletcher earned him 32nd place in a PB time of 1:18:51.7.
Finishing first overall in the lady’s competition was Isabel Brinsden, in a blistering PB (and London Marathon Championship entry qualifying time) of 1:19:33 for 35th overall. Building on her electric form of late – following wins at the Meteor Mile and Bugatti 10k – Isabel ran a steady first 10k before gradually increasing her tempo and moving through the field from third lady to first over the second half of the race. Rich Tilson was an excellent 37th overall in a new PB time of 1:19:42.6 and Tom Burgess, 38th in 1:20:09.7, meant that there were no less than seven Striders in the top 50 on the day.
Next came a clutch of athletes finishing around the 85-minute mark. Jon Howes posted a strong 1:25:22.8, Gavin Woods was just seconds behind in a PB time of 1:25:28.5, with Will Pearce running well to cross the line in a dead heat with Gavin, also in 1:25:28.5. Just behind these two, Tom Barlow registered a PB of 1:25:32.9 and Adam Greenwood ran a perfectly executed race to finish in a new PB time of1:25:46.8.
Sophie Longmore continued her incredible return to racing form with a brilliant new PB time of 1:26:50.6 and Luke Hunter also bagged a PB, sneaking inside the magic 90-minute barrier in 1:29:46.6. Liam Richardson in 1:30:42.7, Scarlett Bell in a wonderful PB time of 1:30:47.7, Isabella Gilbert in 1:31:20.8, Ellie Pudifoot in 1:31:42.6 and Jon Pearce in a PB of 1:32:57 all ran really well to finish just outside 90 minutes in the next wave of CLC Striders finishers.
Simon Peel clocked 1:36:15.3 and Kate Telford (the weekend after running the Copenhagen Half and in training for the Abingdon Marathon) finished in a steady 1:36:42.5. Nigel Bailey in 1:40:11.4 and Tim Brock in 1:40:11.6 ran together. While Morwenna Suileman in a new PB of 1:41:28, Pete Mitchener in 1:41:30 and Mark Nunes in a PB of 1:41:34 were the next trio to cross the line.
Julia Rose in 1:43:48.2, Fiona Brady-Miller in 1:44:00.4, an injury-affected Matt Ashman in 1:44:29.7, Deborah Rees in 1:44:39 and Colin Upton in a PB of 1:47:09.1 were the next crop of Striders to come home. And, last but not least, were Laura Leaver in 1:58:14.5, Frank Rooke-Matthews (pacing his sister to a two-hour target time) in 2:01:22 and Sam Templeton in 2:19:07.
In the 10k alternative distance on the day Helen Knight went comfortably sub-40 minutes in a time of 39:23 and Rachel Vines finished in a solid 42:13.
