Race reports -Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026
In his third race in as many weekends, CLC Strider’s Pete Duffy won the Apperley Quarter Marathon in convincing style on Saturday the 3rd of October, backing up his victory in last year’s race. Second place went to Mark Walker, some two minutes behind Duffy, with Strider Gavin Woods completing the podium in third place. They were joined by Nathan Newton in 6th, Tom Jerrett in 23rd and Ed Collier in 81st (2nd MV65) completing a strong showing for the Striders at this friendly local race.
The weekend also saw the return of the Devil’s Aquathon, a cherished multisport race that we last held in 2019. Hosted by the Lido, the Devil’s Aquathon sees participants swim one or two kilometres before running up to Devil’s Chimney on Leckhampton Hill and back for a 10km run. CLC Striders Tim Elliot took part in the 1km/10km race and came third in the men’s open category.
Sunday saw the 11th round of the Gloucestershire road race series held at the Sharpness Social Club for a 4 mile course taking in some twists and turns around the docks before an undulating main loop through the villages of Newton and Brookend to return at the Social club. Competing for the club were the quartet of James Endicott, David James, Hollie Freeland and Ellie Pudifoot. First home was Endicott who clocked 24:17 to finish in 17th and 4th in the men’s V45 category. In doing so, he also lowered the club age-group record by just over a minute in this rarely contested distance. Next to finish was Pudifoot in 33rd place with a time of 26:24 and 2nd in the senior ladies and 3rd lady overall. The third club finisher was Freeland who clocked 29:20 for third in the ladies V40, followed by James in 32:24 for 1st in the men’s V75 and 86th overall in a field of 158 finishers. David set a club V75 record and tied-up the competition for the series in his age-group. Ellie and Hollie also added to their series tallies with Ellie moving into second in the ladies standings and Hollie topping the ladies V40 table.
Further afield, Lee Ormerod and Scarlett Bell raced the Cardiff Half Marathon, both ran superbly with Ormerod clocking 1:25:02 and Bell finishing in a stellar lifetime best of 1:28:25 in the big city event.
Finally, the weekend saw the start of the Isles of Scilly 555 where contestants complete five races in five days at either the marathon, half marathon or 10km distance. Strider Helen Knight entered the marathon distance competition and will no doubt put her considerable ultra running experience to use over the course of the event