Cleeve Hill Golf Club, Cheltenham GL52 3PW

Congratulations were due this weekend to Matt Polson who completed his 100th parkrun at Cheltenham by equalling his PB of 18:33 and coming 7th overall.  Josh Hand came 5th in the same event with 18:19, and Eleanor Laney was 1st lady with 20:10.  There was also a new PB for Peter Hooper with a time of 23:04 and for Jane Russell with 29:00.

In Gloucester City parkrun another milestone was marked by Beverley Nolan who achieved her 50th parkrun. Lesley Cottle was 2nd lady to finish in Gloucester North with a time of 24:29 and Lynne Macedo was 2nd in her age group at Stanley Park, Blackpool.

Members of Almost Athletes also took park in parkruns at Arrow Valley, Cirencester, Churchfields Farm, Chipping Sodbury, Exmouth, Forest of Dean, Kings Lynn, Newent, Pocket St Neots, Tewkesbury, Tychy in Poland and Worcester. Kev Fairs and his daughter ran the junior parkrun in Wimpole with a time of 15:30.

On Sunday 31st March, a group of Almosts took part in the Cleevewold 14 mile race at Winchcombe. Despite the challenges of this hilly, multi-terrain course, there was an excellent result for Shaun Carr who was 8th overall and 1st in his age group with a time of 1:49.  Nick Spice was next Almost to finish in 2:16, closely followed by Simon Jarvis in 2:17 and Paul Wilkins in 2:19.  Patricia Peever was first Almost lady with 2:18, whilst Hester Coggin was home in 2:19.  Also running were Steve Taylor with 2:25, Mike Kennedy 2:30, Sarah Roberts and Debbie Minett 2:34, Karen Hilton 2:35, Victoria Kennedy 2:48, and Gail Wilkins and Maisie Markham at 2:52.

The Cardiff Bay 10km race took place on Sunday 31st with Nicole Hope coming home in 57:24 and Wan Hartley in 59:54. Hannah Brown also took part in the Bicester Triathlon.

A special mention is due for Almost member Paul Haig, who completed an astonishing 220km cross-country skiing event in Norway this weekend with a time of 28 hours and 23 mins.

Earlier in the week on Thursday 28th March Allan Green ran another marathon at Dinton Pastures Country Park in Reading. He finished the 8 lap course in 5:14. On the same day Nikki Durnell took park in the Rogue Runs Off-Road Night Race of 5 miles at Chepstow Park Woods, and achieved a time of 45:56.

With several Almost Athletes preparing for spring marathons, over fifty club members flocked to the region’s 20 mile races this week. Despite challenging and windy conditions, there were some impressive results at the Fission 20 mile race, Berkeley. The men’s team took third place, with Martin Foster leading the way for the club in 2:19. Matthew Hickman followed in 2:22, then Matt Barnes and Robert Dalton-Morris in 2:31. The ladies went one better, achieving second placed team with Kim Mansell first home with a PB in 2:41. Michelle Balchin was close behind in 2.43, and completing the team were Miranda Foster, PB 2:44, and Jeanette Gullick, PB 2:45. There were also PBs for Peter Mitchener (2:45), Anne-Marie Willicott (2:49), Mark Lyes (2:57), Lorraine Taylor (3:01), Clare Hearing (3:02), and Hannah Brown (3:38). Completing the distance for the first time were Richard Knightley (3:06), Maddie Page (3:25), Natalie Pluck (3:40), Oliver Clarkin (3:53) and Sarah Carr (4:00). Glenda Gill was pleased to finish in 3:30 after a long break from the 20 mile distance. Runners were cheered around the course by a crowd of Almost volunteers, who showed endless enthusiasm as they marshalled and manned water stations for hours in the strong gales.

In the Fission 20km event, Matt Polson stormed home in 1:23, taking 4th place overall. He was followed by Dave Mayo in 1:56, Alison Hume in 1:57, Dominic Lyes in 2:00, and Iris Mayo in her first 20k, 2:25.

At Gloucester 20 mile race, Richard Birch was the first Almost to finish in a rapid 2:15. Next was Shaun Carr with a PB in 2:19, then Hattie Jenkins in 2:22 and Ross Greening in 2.36. There were PBs for Amy Sheer (2:39), Mike Daly (2:42 and 3rd in his age category), Catherine Daly (2:50) and Natalie Greening (3:00). Also running were Kieran Keating (2:42), Dave Chittock (3:00), Steve Wallbridge and Hayleigh Woolnough (3:10), Sharmila Door (3.48), Alison Gregg (3:52) and Jane Birch (4:09).

Allan Green continues to add to his impressive marathon tally with the Enigma Running Week at the Knees Marathon (5:03) and Wrexham marathon (5:24). Also battling through floodwaters at Wrexham was Ingrid Harris, who took 3rd in her age category in 3:49.

Ellie Laney-Bolton and Jamie Courtenay completed the popular Bath Half Marathon. Laney-Bolton finished in a swift 1:29, narrowly missing a PB. Courtenay finished in 1:39. Gemma Stevens ran the Reading Half Marathon in 1:54.

There was the usual strong Almost presence at local parkruns, with runners at Cheltenham, Gloucester City and Tewkesbury. Hester Coggin was 6th lady at Kingsway, and Jo Foster 8th lady at Gloucester North. There was tourism for Kim Davenport and Darren Lewington at Southend, Kasha Price at Poole, Matthew Bevan at Upton Court and Phillip Jukes at Kingsbury Water. Peter Jones ran at Stretford, Mike Bryce at Chipping Sodbury, Claire Hawes at Exmouth, and Danny Carroll at Haldon Forest.