This weekend saw two well attended races for the Romsey Road Runners; the 36th annual George Skeates Charity Event in Stockbridge and the 4th CC6 event of the season at Ocknell Campsite.
The George Skeates event is a low key affair with options to walk, run or cycle either around 3 or 8 miles on a cross country course. The event has been running since 1986 after George passed away in a motorsport accident in 1985. It was originally organised by Mike Crossman and is now run by his son Jeb in aid of the George Skeates Benevolent Fund which benefits a number of charities.
This year saw thirteen club members enter the event. Karen Keane said that it’s a “Great charity event. Fabulous scenic route with yummy cakes and raffle to finish. Everyone’s a winner!”
Thirteen runners and a dog at the George Skeates Charity Event
We also saw the 4th CC6 race of the season organised by Hardley Runners and Totton Running Club at Ocknell Campsite in the New Forest. These races are all around 5 miles and are free to members of a number of local clubs including Romsey; they are a fun, low pressure way to get into cross country racing.
Ten Romsey Road Runners competed this weekend, with some great results; Ray Webb coming second in his age category and Jonathan Pillinger-Cork coming third in his. Jonathan said that this week’s race was “Great hilly, muddy and briefly sunny course”.
Romsey Road Runners at the Ocknell Campsite CC6 Race
In years gone by Romsey Road Runners traditionally blew the Christmas cobwebs away with a social club run. This year the tradition was revived on New Year’s Eve with the Steeplechase, four routes of differing lengths each ending at Romsey Abbey. The longest started at Winchester Cathedral and clocked in at just over 19 miles; the half marathon went from Farley Mount; the 10-mile route from the church at Kings Somborne and the 6-mile from the medieval church at Mottisfont. All the routes were mainly on trails following the Clarendon and Test Way paths.
Runners outside Romsey Abbey after the NYE Run
Forty-three intrepid souls (including four walking-wounded, one Jack Russell, one Cockapoo and two spaniels), set off in torrential rain and wind from the four start points with the aim of all converging on Romsey Abbey at 2pm for a photo call before heading off to the nearest pub. Conditions were dire, with tracks turned to rivers and bogs, but it all added to the fun, particularly the sections over the water meadows which were knee-deep in water. The four dogs – Poppy, Jim, Elsie and Monty – took to it with gusto, bounding cheerfully through the mud and swimming through the waterlogged sections, clearly thinking it was all a great adventure.
RRR’s wonderful session leader Moira Sankey ran the 6-mile route with friends Lin Windsor, Karen Keane and Richard Vie. Moira said, “the 6-mile route from Mottisfont involved a few styles and paths that resembled paddling pools of the ‘cool’ variety. The weather was seasonal, (rain and wind- in other words ‘great fun’ if you are a runner!). Although the 6-mile run was the shortest, I take it from my fellow runners that it was the hardest – happy to go with that!”
Alice Jenden, who only recently joined the club, also took part in the 6-mile run. Alice said, “It was a windy and wet day but I really enjoyed it. There was a sense of true camaraderie as we ran through mud, climbed over fences and powered through some deep puddles. It was a great way to meet more people from the club and I can’t wait to do the next one!”
Deb Ferre ran the 10-mile route from King’s Somborne with her friend Julie Shanker. Deb said “it was lovely being out there enjoying the elements. The first half was easy going but we knew what we were in for from Kimbridge- lots of mud & very wet feet! It was great to be part of a fab club event – can’t wait for the next one!”
Lottie Budd, who took up running in 2022, also took part in the 10-mile with her faithful hound Elsie. Lottie said, “never in my dreams would I have thought I’d run 10 miles enduring lashing rain in my face, being completely soaked through, mud covering my shoes – only for the mud to be washed away by running in what felt like a brook, rather than a trail – yet laughing and having the best times!”
Jonathan Pillinger-Cork who took on the 19-mile run said, “starting just before 11am on a wet, cold NYE in Winchester, the long uphill out of the city turned out to be the easiest bit, with me, Neil Jennings and Tim Parker all making good progress before the mud started at Farley Mount, then it was mud, river, mud, downhill river, mud, gate, fall over etc till the end. With the water in the water meadow up to my thighs and Squabb Wood turned into the “River Squabb”, it sounds bleak and pointless…but it was not. The company of Neil and Tim was just the catalyst for keeping a good pace and making it to the end. Meeting up with other runners on the course gave us all the fillip to keep going. In summary, the running was tiring, muddy and very, very wet, but the people were encouraging and supportive – it was just what was needed on NYE.”
Nigel Hemsted also ran the 19-mile route with friends Elizabeth Prinsep and Giovanni Buldrini. Nigel said, “once we reached the edge of Winchester the route was in glorious countryside. Despite the constant rain and wind which built up later in the run we kept cheerful, and had jelly babies to keep us going. The highlight of the route was saved to the end with ankle deep mud in Squabb Wood and then a kilometre of wading through water across the Romsey water meadows. It was a great day with a real sense of achievement when we reached Romsey Abbey.”
Sunday 2nd October was a busy day for Romsey Road Runners. Four members headed up to London to take part in the marathon, while twenty-five opted to stay closer to home and take part in the Clarendon, a point-to-point race offering several distance options along the ancient Pilgrim Way linking the cities of Salisbury and Winchester.
In London, Alice Lane netted herself a Good For Age qualification for next year’s race by finishing in a superb time of 4:03; Liz Prinsep finished in an impressive 3:48; Ben Sharman in a solid 4:14 and Megan Batchelor, who was running in her first marathon, finished in 3:59.
Clarendon and London Marathon Finishers
Megan described the experience as: “a real mix of emotions and a mental test. The crowd lifts you the whole way, I’ve never experienced anything like it. Seeing my family just after mile 18 gave me a huge boost and then seeing them again just before the end was exactly what I needed to keep pushing. I even went for a ‘sprint’ finish at the end. I can honestly say the feeling of crossing that finish line almost gives me the drive to want to do it all again!”
London also offered runners the chance to compete virtually, which is what Romsey’s Hayley Weston did, clocking up a fantastic time of 3:34 to secure herself a Good For Age qualification for 2023. Dave Gardner also took the virtual option, finishing in 6:28.
Back in Hampshire, the Clarendon dawned overcast and wet, stirring memories of 2020 and Storm Alex which turned many of the tracks to muddy rivers. With rain forecast throughout the day everyone was prepared for a similarly soggy outing, but it proved not to be the case as by mid-morning the weather Gods were feeling munificent and the sun shone.
Dorota Koschmidder-Hatch was running her first marathon at the Clarendon and did herself proud in a brilliant time of 5:15. Matt Hammerton, recovering from Covid, took fifth place in 3:11 and Ian Ralph finished in a solid 3:51.
Dorota said of her first marathon: “the support from club members was amazing and the scenery truly made it worthwhile. I really enjoyed the first 24miles, but the last 2 were tough. Will I run another one? Maybe after I forget how much my legs hurt!”
In the half marathon, Romsey’s Neil Jennings blasted his way to victory, taking first place with a superb time of 1:27, while Matt Brown came 5th in 1:43 and Sam Weston 12th in 1:49. Duncan MacDonald 1:52; Nigel Hemsted 1:55; Keith Morris 2:14 and Bob Gold 2:35. Sue Sleath was 2nd lady in 1:50; Penny Jennings 2:13; Sue Sylvester 2:19 and Lottie Budd 2:32.
Sam commented: “I went into the Clarendon Half expecting beautiful views and brutal hills and it did not disappoint! The conditions were absolutely perfect and it was a great motivator to see so many members of the club along the way. Everyone I met was friendly and considerate along the sometimes narrow trails. I’d do this again over an overcrowded city race any day!”
RRR also fielded two Relay teams. The imaginatively named “Get in Gear, feel the Burn and Battle the hills in Style” of Steve Geary, James Byrne, James Battle and Mark Stileman took 4th place in 3:19 while team “Us and Him Again” (Derek Kelly, Anna Duigan, Liz Slade and Julia Abab) finished in 4:47. RRR’s Lin and Ray Webb also ran the Relay with friends Frankie Colling and Sharon Ardley to finish in 4:19.
Derek said “conditions on the first leg were slippery in the rain, but by the time I reached the changeover point and gave the baton to Anna, the rain had stopped and the sun came out. It was still shining when Liz started leg three and it continued shining for Julia on the final leg from Farley Mount to the finish at Winchester. It was a day full of fun and camaraderie with cheering, encouragement and support between the runners. We loved it”.
In years gone by, the Test Way, a long-distance footpath running from Inkpen Beacon in Berkshire to Eling Tide Mill in Hampshire loosely following the river Test, was the setting for an interclub running Relay event. It became so popular that parking at the handovers was a problem, and so eventually, the event was shelved.
Runners at the pub at the end of the event
Back in April this year when Romsey’s Matt Hammerton won the Test Way Ultra, the seed of an idea germinated in the brains of friends and fellow RRR members Karen Keane and Sue Stileman to reintroduce the event for Romsey Road Runners and so, last Saturday, the revamped Relay returned.
Three teams entered: The Test Ticklers (Karen Keane & Moira Sankey, Louise Holliday & Jane Jackson, Lin Winsor, Derek Kelly & Lin Webb, Charlie Brett, Dorota Koschmidder & Lauren Freestone, Liz Slade, Anna Duigan & Julia Abab); The Trail Trundlers (Alice Lane & Sue Stileman with their dogs Jim and Poppy, Gemma Quarendon, James Byrne, Ray Webb, Steve Edwards, Matt Cheales, Lottie Budd & Ian Ralph, Duncan MacDonald) and the Test Icicles (Jonathan Pillinger Cork, Neil Jennings, Matt Hammerton, Mark Stileman, Hannah Shutt, David Morrison, Tim Parker and Ryan Snell).
The route was divided into eight legs of between 7-11k, and the finish was the Salmon Leap pub in Totton. This made a total distance of 44 miles. The starting times for the teams were staggered to get everyone to the pub for 5pm to avoid the high tide flooding the boards across the marsh. This meant the teams set off from Inkpen at 0845, 0930 and 1143 respectively. There were no marshals out on the route as the event was self-supported and some of those taking part elected to pair up and run their leg with a buddy. Everyone had done their homework and been out on various recce runs over the summer to make certain they knew their section well and wouldn’t get lost on the day and thankfully no one did. Volunteers from the club had been out the weekend before the event to cut back nettles and brambles from the later sections which were a little overgrown in places, so stings and scratches were also minimal!
As this was a relay, the teams each had a ‘baton’ – a rucsac – which was swapped between the runners at the handover points. It contained route maps, a charged mobile phone and the team first aid kit. By the end of the run the rucsacs were in a pretty unpleasant, sweaty condition. “Ripe” was the word most frequently used to describe them!
We were blessed with fantastic weather throughout the day, making perfect conditions for running, and everyone taking part thoroughly enjoyed it, particularly the celebratory drink at the pub at the end. The only drama came at the end of the day when Ryan, the final runner for team Icicles, fell over in a bog on the marshes and lost a shoe in it. The shoe quickly disappeared from sight, and Ryan, ever the true professional, carried on running without it, covering the final kilometre with just the one shoe to finish just ahead of Ian and Duncan who were hot on his heels for the Trundlers.
The team times were as follows: Ticklers 7:44 hours; Trundlers 6:53 hours, Icicles 4:43 hours, so it was a great effort by everyone.
Also out on the course was Steve Geary, who set off from Inkpen Beacon at 8am to run the whole 44 miles (with a little help from Sue Sleath and James Battle) to finish at the pub with everyone else. A fantastic effort by Steve.
A toast was held for the Queen at the end of the event as a mark of respect at her passing, along with a “God Save The King” for King Charles III.
August has been notable for two things: heat and drought. Running in hot weather brings its own challenges, mainly trying to keep hydrated while avoiding heat stroke. Ryan Snell navigated both during the Tadley 10k on August 14th. Running in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees, Ryan completed the course in an impressive time of 36:17 to take second place. Ryan said of the event “the Tadley 10k is a pretty route and was well organised by Tadley runners. It was very hot (unsurprising for August) and there was some climbing in the second half.”
The same day, Jonny Stevens was competing in the Newark half marathon, where he set himself an impressive new PB of 1:38. Jonny noted that “the course was fast and flat and it was a proper warm day, over 30 degrees by the time I finished! I got a PB so it was all worth it. It’s definitely a race I would go back to.”
The following weekend things had cooled down a bit, which was just as well as Alice Lane was taking on the very challenging LDWA event the Dorset Doddle. This involved running from Weymouth to Swanage, a distance of over 32 miles with 1800m elevation. Alice, a seasoned long-distance runner, completed the course in 7:37 hours.
Alice Lane at the Dorset Doddle
On the same day, Romsey’s Lottie Budd took part in the Big Pilgrimage, a 15-mile run that follows a Pilgrim Way recently rediscovered on the 13th century Gough Map. Lottie, who completed the run in a time of 2:50 hours, said of the experience: “the Big Pilgrimage has to be my favourite race so far. It’s very varied trail but predominantly follows the coast from Southampton to Titchfield with a short ferry ride en route. Despite talking a wrong turn and joining the marathon runners for a short bit, I came 7th in my age group.”
Also competing on August 21st were Louise Holliday and Megan Batchelor who crossed the water to the Isle of Wight to take part in the Ryde half marathon. Louise finished in an excellent time of 2:18 hours, while Megan netted herself a fantastic new PB of 1:55.
Louise said of the race “the Ryde half marathon is an undulating course through Ryde, Nettlestone and St Helens. Some of it was off-road on gravel tracks but otherwise it was mostly on quiet lanes. It was a small, low-key event with only around 200 runners but it was very friendly and I would definitely do it again. I had some trepidation as the race was in the middle of the day in August, but luckily it was a lovely cool morning with glimpses of the sea over the fields every so often to make us think refreshing thoughts!”
Finally, Romsey were in action in the inter-club competition The Mile of Miles at the end of the month. The club fielded two teams for this popular event which this year was held at the athletics track at Mountbatten School. Each team consisted of ten members, with each member running a mile over four laps of the track. Romsey’s teams posted times of 1:06:03 and 1:08:59 respectively, with the faster team taking 8th place overall.
July was another busy month for the members of Romsey Road Runners. James Byrne kicked things off in style at the Goodwood Duathlon taking 20th place in a time of 1:19. James said of the run-cycle-run event: ‘having been to Goodwood many times for the motoring festivals it was a unique experience to be competing in an event on the racetrack. Being a (mainly) flat course we could get up to some good speeds on the cycling section (despite the headwind!). It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. We were even treated to a spitfire flypast at the start of the run which was a bonus!’
The same weekend, Matthew Hammerton took part in the 3000m elevation UTS (ultra-trail Snowdonia) 50k, which is part of the UTMB (ultra-trail Mont Blanc) World Series. Matt came an impressive 3rd in a time of 5:51, qualifying for the OCC UTMB 50k race in Switzerland in the process. Meanwhile, Alice Lane and Nigel Hemstead travelled down to Dorset to take on the Charmouth Challenge, a hilly 8-mile run along the coast near Golden Cap. Alice finished in 1:26 and Nigel in 1:18. Alice then headed up to the Lake District for Derwent Athletic Club’s midweek Lambfoot Leap, a 10k fell race, which she completed in 55:25.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and it was time for the Snowdonia Trail marathon which coincided with a heatwave. Romsey’s Susie Parker proved she was more than up to the challenge of both mountain and weather, completing the 27-mile, 1865m elevation route in a superb time of 6:49. Susie described the run as ‘beautiful but brutal.’ She went on to say that ‘the heat pushed me to my very limits and I really struggled at times, but I got through it, met some incredible people and feel proud to have conquered it!’
Susie Parker at the Snowdonia Trail Marathon
The weekend after Snowdon, Ian Ralph and Matt Hammerton took on another tough challenge in yet another heatwave, this time the Wendover Woods night 50k. The route consisted of three ten-mile laps with an accumulated elevation of 1800m, so it was not for the faint-hearted. Matt took first place with a new course record of 4:27, while Ian, who was returning from a knee injury, completed the route in a solid time of 6:20 to take a well-earnt 34th place.
Matt summed up the event as ‘tough but fantastically well organised,’ while Ian commented that ‘on the face of it, a night race on the hottest weekend of the year should have been ideal, but the temperature never got below 15 degrees all night, and it was tough and sticky going for all the runners. It was a case of surviving up the steep climbs then trying to stay on your feet as you got running again while navigating the trails in darkness with only your head torch to show you the way.’
Lottie Budd was also racing on the hottest weekend of the year so far, completing the Dorney Lake half marathon in 2:17 to take 25th place, coming second in her age category. Roll forward a couple of weeks and Lottie was in action again, this time at the Piggy Plod, a hot, hilly 10.5k race set on a cider farm in Dorset. Lottie finished the race in 1:08, taking first place in her age category.
A pair of Romsey Road Runners braved mud and high winds to complete The Stickler – aka the Dorset 3 Peaks Challenge on Sunday 27th October. Overnight rain cleared giving runners a sunny but breezy start. The wonderfully scenic 10-mile route, which starts at Shillingstone near Blandford Forum, takes in some glorious countryside, a hill fort, and three steep climbs. The highest, less than a mile from the start, involved a 800ft climb, and is followed by Hod Hill at about 500ft and Hambledon at just over 600ft.
With a cut-off time of 21/2 hours, the field was pursued by the terrifying spectacle of the Grim Sweeper, who turned back those who didn’t reach the halfway point in 75 minutes. Mark Adams and Di Cross avoided his attentions, finishing in 1hr 31mins and 1hr 45mins respectively. This was the second time Di has completed the course, shaving 13mins off her 2010 time.
Just under 30,000 people took to the streets of Portsmouth and Southsea to participate in the Bupa Great South Run, on Sunday 27th October. There was a strong contingent of RRR, 9 in total. They battled against the strong winds, especially throughout the last 2 miles of the course which took runners alongside the sea front. Thankfully, the weather remained dry.
First home was Christopher Stocks in a time of 1:16:13 and first Romsey lady was Becky Tovey, finishing in 1:22:00. They were followed by Andrew Archibald 1:22:48, Stuart Mullen 1:21:17, Sarah White 1:23:00, Colin Wood 1:30:46, Alison Solomon 1:46:09, Lindsey Dunford 1:47:38 and Wayne Windebank, in just under the 2 hour mark (1:59:25).
And finally, the duo of Paul Burnage and Frank Ourique completed the Lordshill 10 mile road race last Sunday. A flat course set in southern Test Valley is now well established, attracting 500 or so local runners. The route is pleasant and well organised, consisting of distinct parts, taking in part of the Broadlands Estate but also includes a lap around the Nursling Industrial Estate. Runners finish on muddy grass of 5 Acres, Redbridge Lane, cheered on by family and friends. Paul Burnage finished in 1:15:13 and Frank Ourique in 1.28.26.
Five Romsey Road Runners headed to Portsmouth last Sunday for the Victory 5, hosted by Portsmouth Athletics Club. Arriving in sunshine, the sky had clouded over before runners started the five mile race with a lap of the running track at Mountbatten Leisure Centre. From here, the course headed out alongside the lake before looping round and then heading back, by which time runners faced a strong head wind. The course finished as it began, with a 400m lap of the running track.
Chris Stocks was the first Romsey runner to finish, placed 189th overall and 19th in category (MV45) in a time of 35:22. Lynda Brown came in next in 35:38, a personal best, 197th overall and 13th in category (Senior Female). Mark Adams, still recovering from injury – and not helped by a collision with a bike in the final mile – came in alongside Lynda in 198th (35:36). They were followed by Di Cross, who ran a personal best in 38:33 and was pleased to be placed 2nd in category (FV50). The final finisher for the club was new member Kirsty Saxton, who had a good run to finish in 41:44.
In contrast to the smooth surfaces of Portsmouth, The Bounder sees runners scurry across the undulations of the lovely Test Valley and is described as ‘challenging’. This nine mile trail race, organised by the Broughton Bounders Running Club, is now in its third year and attracts a good many local runners including four from Romsey.
Matt ‘The Bounder’ Hammerton won the race for a third consecutive year, finishing in 54:12, a little outside the course record which he set in 2012. Fellow Romsey runner, Toby Burrows, finished in second place in 59:58. Becky Tovey and Naomi Farrington completed the Romsey contingent in 1 hour 21 and 1 hour 50 respectively.
Finally, Chris Stocks was on a roll this the weekend, completing the Eastleigh Park Run (5km) on Saturday in a personal best of 21:51, using it as a warm up for the Victory 5 miler.
A total of 13 Romsey Road Runners travelled to Catton Park, Staffordshire, for the Thunder Run 24 hour event on the weekend of 27th July and 28th July.
The TR24 course is a 10km cross-country circuit set in the picturesque Staffordshire countryside. The track twists and turns across varied terrain from bogs and forests to steep hills and open fields. Individuals or teams run laps over a 24 hour period to see just how many they can complete – demonstrating endurance or just plain madness?
RRR entered a mixed team of 5 consisting of Toby Burrows, Matt Hammerton, Jimmy Hunt, Ian Ralph and Tam Ryan. All finishing 6 laps (60km) except Burrows who did 70km, starting and finishing for the team. A live leader board was discovered early on, showing the Romsey team of 5 in the lead; the pressure was then on to stay there for the duration.
The race started at 12 midday when the weather was really hot and sunny, but by early evening the heavens opened and a monsoon coupled with thunder and lightening ensued until dawn. Continue reading →
Sunday 28 April marked the 5th Houghton Trail Event, a local low key event raising money for charity. It is rapidly gaining in popularity, with many from the local community taking part.
Houghton village hall was the start and finish and saw 174 runners and 35 cyclists finishing, with a number of walkers and dogs joining in for good measure.
15 RRR members ran in the 11k trail event. The route is mainly all off road and very scenic offering good long views and incorporated parts of the Test and Clarendon Way. Conditions were good underfoot, slippery in places, but otherwise ok. Andrew Archibold was first man home in 55:28 and first lady was Becky Tovey in 55:47.
They were followed by: Tony Peelo 56:20, Paul Cutbill 57:18, Penny Jennings 58:24, Heidi Godfrey 58:37, Greg Roulston 1:01:49, Julia Abab 1:01:58, Derek Kelly 1:06:15, Mark Adams, 1:06:23, Charlotte Maslen 1:06:37, Anna Duignan 1:08:43, Ruth Page 1:09:12, David Page 1:13:17 and Wendy Couper 1:24:01.
There were 2 further club members who cycled the 14k cycle route. Adelice Ashworth and her Mum, Di Cross, who both finished as 1st females in the junior and senior categories, in times of 56:36 and 57:08 respectively.
Gill Callus and Wendy Couper recently took part in the Great Western 10K in Sherborne, Dorset. Gill and Wendy described it as “one of the most scenic runs we have ever done but it was a bitterly cold morning with lots and lots of mud and one or two hills – the perfect way to spend Mothering Sunday!” Gill finished second in her category in a time of 84 minutes 48, whilst Wendy was first in her category with a time of 85 minutes 12.
On the same day, a group of RRRs completed the ‘Mad March’ – a single 10 mile lap or double lap 20 mile event organised by Zoom Tri Club on the outskirts of Christchurch. The event takes place on the rural country lanes around the Burton area and is popular with those training for a spring marathon. According to those taking part it was “very cold and extremely windy, and the lanes were rather wet & muddy in places”. The conditions, however, didn’t deter the runners; in fact a number managed personal bests for the distance. Continue reading →
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. Continue reading →
The club have 2 teams entered for the 2013 Adidas Thunder Run 24-hour race at Catton Park on 27/28 July. One 8-person team and one 5-person team – both mixed gender.
There are 2 spots available for the 8-person team, so if you are interested in taking on the challenge and joining a group of fellow club mates for a fun weekend in South Derbyshire then get in touch with Ian Ralph who can tell you more about it.
To give you a flavour of what you would be letting yourself in for:
The race takes place between midday Sat and midday Sun
Teams can be 6-8 people, 3-5 people, 2 people or soloists
Teams run continuously for 24-hours with one person on course at all times
The course is a 10k cross-country loop with a change-over station at the start/finish line
The cost is £32 for a place on the 8-person team (which includes camping)
Non-runners are welcome to come along to camp on-site at no additional cost
It’s a well organised event with good facilities on-site
Check out this YouTube video if you want to get a better idea of what it’s all about.
Lynda Brown and Tam Ryan did the Rough & Tumble on Sunday 13th January, in the worst conditions ever experienced by the organisers. The wet conditions, undulations and bog made running this multi terrain 10 miler challenging. The event takes place over the rolling landscape of Wiltshire’s Pewsey Downs, starting from Milton Lilbourne Village Hall. The event is organised by Pewsey Vale Runners and attracted 500 hardy runners. Continue reading →
On Saturday 1st December, Candy Snelling, Paul Bradley and around 3,000 other runners braved the waist deep, ice covered, puddles and mud of the ‘Grim’. This is an 8 .5 mile cross country race at Aldershot, on a military vehicle testing facility in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
There was added spice to the race as Candy and Paul work in the same building and had a bet that the looser would buy cakes for the others’ office. On the day it was youth that triumphed over experience as despite both getting personal bests for the course of 1:08:26 (243rd) for Candy and 1:11:21 (358th) for Paul. Continue reading →
On Sunday 16th September local event The Bounder proved to a winning race for Romsey runners. Tam Ryan was first lady to finish in 1:13:26 and Matt Hammerton first man. Matt was the overall winner of the event, completing the 9 mile route and setting a new course record in just 53:54.
The Bounder is organised by the Broughton Bounders Running Club and involves 1,000ft of ascent, starting in Broughton village with a steep climb followed by rolling chalk down lands of the Test Valley, with a few more challenging hills thrown in for good measure. Also finishing were Duncan Dickinson in 1:05:48 and Alice Lane in 1:37:05. Continue reading →
