The penultimate race in the CC6 series took place at Denny Wood on Sunday 10th February; this latest race provided lots of mud and puddles – a typical cross country. The event was marshalled by Totton Running Club who stood in the rain to cheer on all club runners, their efforts greatly appreciated. A total of 11 Romsey runners finished, and although some of the overal results have now been decided, the final race in March will decide the laides title which Romsey’s Shantha Dickinson is in the running for.
Prior to this, the 23 January marked the Stonehenge Stomp, a choice of distances or walkers and runners to tackle around the famous stones. It was organised by the Amesbury Walkers of the Long Distance Walkers Association. All distances started from Amesbury Sports Centre and followed gently undulating routes around Amesbury and Stonehenge. Tam Ryan tackled the full 40k, Lynda Brown and Di Cross the 30k, and David and Ruth Page the 20k. The going was very wet and muddy underfoot, with the chalk making for slippery, energy sapping conditions.
On Saturday 2 February, both Wendy George and Stewart Liesnham ran the Thames Trot. Billed as The UK’s biggest 50 mile ultra race, participants followed a tranquil run along the Thames from Oxford to Henley, using the banks and towpaths of England’s largest river as well as footpaths and bridleway. The race started at the Prince of Wales Pub in Iffley, and finished at Henley. The pair competed together finishing in 8 hours 55 minutes.
On 3rd February a single brave Romsey Runner, Toby Burrows, completed the Donnington Way 105km ultra marathon. He finished in 5th place in 15hours and 45 minutes. This mammoth event follows the “Donnington Way”; a network of roads, footpaths, tracks, and bridleways researched in the 1990s by Colin Handy, which connects the Donnington Brewery and all of its public houses. The footing includes some road, stone track, grass paths, and a few soft muddy sections.
