Monday 10th Dec
7pm Track Session at PoW
Wednesday 12th Dec
7pm On-road HI-VIZ, Cheltenham Football Club car park
Thursday 13th Dec
9:30am The Norwood - click for 'coffee' details.
7:15pm PoW Track
Saturday
Cleeve Golf Club, 9am
Almost Athletes is a members only closed group
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Cheltenham and County Harriers hosted the 5.5 mile Cloud Cuckoo multi-terrain race at Cleeve Common on Wednesday the 30th May. A large turn-out of Almost Athletes attended the event, with Josh Hand the first Almost Athlete in at 37:38, Simon Jarvis 40:42, Prashanth Sripathi 40:45, Miranda Foster 47:26, Ingrid Harris 48:01 and Lucinda Hand 48:35.
On Saturday the 1st June, the 20th anniversary, Dartmoor Discovery 34 mile Ultra Marathon got under way. Classified as a cult status run, the race starts and finishes in Princetown, a course that takes one up and down some of the toughest hills that Dartmoor has to offer. The event was attended by Ingrid Harris 5:30, Michelle Balchin 5:32, Danny Carroll 5:34, with Balchin and Harris 9th and 10th Ladies in the race.
Katy Hana attended the Bredon 10k Cricket Club Tower run, a run which tracks the paths to the 299m summit of Bredon Hill, Hana achieved 1:09 for this run with glorious views of the Worcestershire countryside.
In Coniston, Martyn Fisher ran the 10k race, described by Runners' World magazine as 'the most scenic trail run in Britain.
The Fairford 10k race was well attended by the Almost Athletes, Martin Foster first Almost Athlete in at 39:17. Richard Birch second in 40:08, Neil Tring third 44:57, Amy Sheer 45:36, Allan Green 46:43, Lorraine Taylor 52:45, Gareth Wilkes 53:30, Stacey Osmond 53:38, Philip Jeyes 53:43, Deborah Cartlidge 54:41, David Lawrence 1:00:35, Sue Monaghan 1:00:43, Sandra Stuart 1:04:52, Kasha Price 1:06:36 and Iris Mayo 1:13:12.
Ceri Griffiths attended Gloucestershire’s newest and most demanding off-road race, The Dursley Peaks Challenge, an offroad race, 10.31km long with 318 m of climb, Griffiths completed this race in 1:11.
A most scenic Royal Windsor Trail Half Marathon was attended by Karla Cleverley and Coralie Pearson, run along the banks of the River Thames views of Windsor Castle.
Parkrun tourists saw Peter Morris at Exeter Riverside parkrun achieving a personal best of 20:49 and Rich Smith at Fell Foot parkrun, Windermere, Cumbria.
Inspired by the memory of late friend and club member Rich Walklate, Ellie Laney-Bolton and Gemma Stevens travelled to Dorset to take part in the Endurance Life Ultra. The tough 33 mile route along the trails of the Jurassic Coast took in an ascent of over 5700 ft. They battled the wind, rain and mud to complete the race in an impressive 7:56.
Malc Allen also braved wet and windy conditions to tackle the Might Contain Nuts Half Marathon in Powys. He ran the challenging, hilly course across the Brecon Beacons in 2:25.
Clare Hearing was in action at the Croome Capability Canter. She completed the scenic 6.5 mile route around Croome Park in 1:07.
In Portsmouth, Karla Cleverley took part in the Victory 5 Mile Road Race, which is now in its 72nd year. Cleverely finished in 1:08.
Allan Green edged closer to his 100 Marathon goal with the Oulton Park Marathon in Cheshire. Green completed the 10 lap run around the motor racing circuit in 4:51.
With the festive season underway, Mark Stojanov was amongst the Almosts taking part in the Rotary Club Santa Fun Run in Pittville Park. Stojanov completed the 3km course in 21:47 adding yet another pb to his year.
Ingrid Harris ran the Nottingham Christmas Marathon around the National Watersports Centre, finishing in 3:40.
Almost Athletes' parkrunners were out in force with some impressive individual results. Leigh Allinson took a fantastic 1st place at Wyre Forest in 19:33. At Gloucester City, Hester Coggin was 3rd lady in 23:51. There were strong performances at Cheltenham with Prash Sripathi, Matt Polson, Nick Lewis, Martin Foster and Simon Jarvis all finishing in the top 15. Hattie Jenkins took 2nd lady in 21:37, while Karen Galpin and Catherine Daly also finished as top 10 women.
There was local representation at Tewkesbury and Stonehouse, while further afield Robert Foord was in action at Black Park and Kev Dendy at Eastville. Dave Rogers and Lepha McCartan were at Tamar Lakes, with McCartan finishing as 4th lady in 26:10. Away from the UK, Mark Medland ran at Caffarella, Rome.
Although there were fewer races taking place this weekend, several members of Almost Athletes still managed to achieve some excellent results.
On Saturday, Thomas Wood gained a new PB at Ravenstonedale, Weybridge 10km with a time of 42:25.
Hannah Brown also got a new personal best time of 56:57 at the Wilmslow Festive 10km race.
Both Ingrid Harris and Allan Green took part in the Four Seasons Winter Marathon at Margam Park in South Wales. Harris finished in 3:52 and Green in 5:40. This marathon was Green’s 96th out of 100 which he aims to complete over 100 consecutive weeks.
On Sunday 25th Sheila ‘Zippy’ Chatterley ran in the Cartama Half Marathon in Malaga, Spain, and was delighted to finish as second in her age category for which she was awarded a cup.
At Cheltenham parkrun on Saturday 24th November Josh Hand was 9th overall with a finishing time of 18:51, whilst Matt Polson came 13th in the Leamington parkrun in 19:35.
Much further afield in Australia, Jeanette Gullick was first lady in Yeppoon, Queensland parkrun with a time of 22:14, and Jo Johnson ran in the Armidale parkrun along with a kangaroo! Maisie Markham was 2nd lady to finish in the Anacastia, Washington DC parkrun with a time of 25:34.
Other parkrun tourism saw Almost Athletes taking part in 10 different UK events at Basingstoke; Fountains Abbey; Gladstone Park, London; Gloucester City and North; Leamington; Richmond; Severn Bridge; Swindon; and Upton House.
