Broadway, Track meet, Gloucester Canal.
The first full week of June proved to be a very busy week of competing for Tewkesbury Running Club as the summer diary of racing starts to get into full swing.The main focus of the week was the Broadway Tower Charity Race as it features in the TRC Off Road series - “The Lord / Lady of the Land”
Stroud Beer Race
Kicking the week off on the Monday was James Head in the Stroud Beer Race, a 7.2 mile road race starting from Minchinhampton common. Expecting an undulating course, James was not quite prepared for the 3 laps of hills that awaited, however he was satisfied with a solid 4th place in a time of 44.56 minutes. Also claiming a bottle of wine for 1st V40 runner!
Track
The following day, an excellent evening track meeting was put on by Gloucester AC and 2 TRC members dipped their toe into track races. Having spent many weeks training on the track this spring, Chris Duckworth took this experience into the frightening world of 800m racing. Racing in Heat 5, Chris closely followed the pace maker to go through the 1st lap in 77 seconds. Chris then work hard on the gruelling second and last lap, chasing the leader down the home straight to post a time of 2min 33secs - a great time for Chris’ 1st track race and a marker set for his next track race. James Head followed with a step out in Heat 3 of 1500m races. Feeling the effects of the previous night’s race, he was happy with a time of 5min 08secs.
Broadway Tower Charity Race
Wednesday brought the evening race of the Broadway Tower Charity Race, a 5 mile race tackling the climb up to and down from the famous Broadway Tower, the 2nd highest point of the Cotswolds at over 1000 ft high. This popular race attracts runners from counties wide for an excellent cause.
No fewer than 7 TRC members lined up for the sharp climbs and flowing descents of the race. 1st to emerge from the hill to the finish line was a return to form Shona Crombie-Hicks. Following the leaders well up to the Tower, Shona easily powered back down to take the winning Female trophy for the second year in a row in a time of 35min 59secs, putting nearly 2 minutes on the 2nd female. What was very pleasing for Shona was her time was almost a minute and a half quicker than last year!
Fresh from his 5th place in the Bredon Tower race, Vlad Vengler has been training very well of late and in a high standard race, excellently placed14th in a time of 37min 5secs. A great run by Vlad as he prepares for the Cotswold Way Relay later in the month.
Very closely behind Vlad, Andy Hawkins crossed the line 16th place, only 38 seconds behind Vlad. Although disappointed with his performance, a time of 37mins 43secs is an enviable time over this extreme terrain.
Another TRC member to retain his title from last year was Gary Duxbury. In 45th place in a time of 41mins 20secs, Gary saw off all challengers in the V60 age group and proudly claimed his trophy for a 2nd year running. A fine result for all of Gary’s recent off road training.
Carley Merriman is quickly finding her racing feet after giving birth to her 3rd daughter last year and her recent training is reaping rewards. After enduring the long climb to the top and enjoying the downhills, Carley placed 90th, sneaking under 45mins in a time of 44mins 59secs. A very pleasing time considering it was just under 3 minutes quicker than 2 years ago.
Carol Cowley was another TRC member who was attempting the local ‘Tower Race’ double. Having conquered the Bredon Tower race 10 days previously, Carol was back out again to see off the climb to the Broadway Tower. Carol charged down to finish line in an impressive time of 47mins 10secs to finish 4th in her age group (against some much younger rivals) in 111th place. Again this would have pleased Carol as it was exactly 2 minutes faster than last year.
Jude Rodrigues has been regular racing of recent as he enjoys his current form. Another to do the ‘Tower Double’, Jude brought home a successful nights racing for TRC as he finished in 150th place out of 252 runners in a time of 50mins and 41secs - another performance that will line Jude up for his anticipated Cotswold Way Relay Leg at the end of the month.
Broadway action pictures taken by the excellent snapper Barry Cornelious.
Sharpness 16
The Saturday brought the advent of a new race to the county racing circuit … ‘The Sharpness 16’. A 16 mile race that starts at Sharpness Docks and runs along the whole length of the canal path and finishes in Gloucester Docks. In this inaugural race, Michael Jackson from Tewkesbury Running Club lined up with 48 other runners and with his excellent Dymock Half marathon result fresh in his mind he set off for the long distance challenge.
Michael then produced one of his finest running performances as he emerged from the end of the canal in Gloucester Docks in an impressive 3rd position, clocking a time of 2hrs 8mins 53secs - a proud podium position for both Michael and Tewkesbury Running Club.
