Distance Running Report

20 March 2016

Cheltenham Harrier Shona Crombie-Hicks ensured a win for the host club as she finished as the first lady home in the Cleevewold 14 mile multi-terrain race. Held over a challenging course around Cleeve Hill, Crombie-Hicks led the ladies race from the start to finish fifteenth overall ,with a gap of almost two minutes over second lady Liza Barry (CLC). At the front of the field fellow Harrier Tomasso Migliuolo narrowed the gap to race winner Wyclef Forbes (Cirencester) over the closing miles, but the Cheltenham athlete finished as runner-up seventy seconds behind Forbes. Unattached runner Richard Purkis took third place almost three minutes behind Migliuolo. Anthony Rossi (17th), Paul Barnes (39th) and Ruth Bird (89th) all conquered the testing terrain. Matt Evans enjoyed a win at the Gloucestershire 4km Cross Country Championships held on a flat course at Plock Court in Gloucester. Evans took the lead half way round the opening lap and then maintained his lead to the finish where he crossed the line five seconds clear of Gloucester’s Jeremy Mower who himself finished seven seconds ahead of Bourton’s Mike Smith. The Forest of Dean Trails Half Marathons saw Corin Hughes make a welcome return to race action to take seventh place in 79:57 before James Wilkinson and Gareth Edwards crossed the line in 84:37 and 84:53 respectively.

At the Eastleigh 10k road race Andy Prophett was looking to run his first sub 35 minute 10k for four years. Making the most of a fast course, good conditions and a strong field, Prophett was delighted to smash his target by over a minute with a 33:55 clocking for 39th place. Another veteran showing good road form was Darren Jordan who won the Heyford Park 5k near Bicestor in 16:39, whilst fellow club stalwart Russell Forsbrook ran a time of 28:31 at the latest Weston Prom 5 mile event to finish as second veteran runner in tenth place. Continuing his London Marathon preparations Richard Birch followed up his Gloucester 20 mile race last weekend with a 2:16:11 at the Berkeley 20 mile road race. The Cheltenham parkrun saw Alex Lee claimed his fourteenth event win in 16:32 whilst Fraser Willmore took third in 17:44. Matt Evans ran 18:39 for fifth place and Ian Giles finished ninth in 19:45. Isabel Ovens was the third lady home in 22:50, a position matched by Rachel See who completed the Swindon parkrun in 20:52.