The famous five: Helen Beddoe (172), Tom Casson (300), Clint Taylor, David Crowther (144) and Kitty Cook (front) at the Sunflower Stride

There are some races where the result is almost secondary to the experience, and the Sunflower Stride proved to be just such an occasion for a newly formed band of Bournemouth AC chums.

With the race taking place in the evening, Clint Taylor, Tom Casson, Kitty Cook, David Crowther and Helen Beddoe were at least spared the hottest part of the day as they headed just outside Dorchester for an event organised by Tri-Counties Trail Running.

And what an evening it turned out to be.

Tom Casson takes a selfie with his BAC chums in the background

The 7.3-mile course was anything but flat, with around 800 feet of elevation packed into the route. The runners first had to weave their way through the mighty sunflower plants before heading towards Maiden Castle, Europe’s largest Iron Age hillfort. From the higher sections there were breathtaking views stretching south towards Weymouth, while Hardy’s Monument could be seen away to the west.

It was certainly a scenic course, but the hills made sure that nobody was going to be getting an easy ride.

The Bournemouth AC runners were ready to hit the trails

The Bournemouth contingent had already developed some impressive camaraderie during the summer. They had been travelling to races together and training together, including a 20-mile run which had been arranged to help Kitty Cook with her preparations for the New Forest Marathon.

The Sunflower Stride was the latest chapter in their increasingly busy racing schedule.

The Bournemouth AC members strike a pose

The newly formed faction had all lined up at the Lordshill 10K, where Tom, Kitty and Helen all recorded 10K personal bests. They also all took part in the Purbeck 10K, with David the only one of the five to miss that particular outing.

Clint, David and Helen had gone one better by also competing in the SOBO 5 on the same weekend as Purbeck, while Tom, Kitty, Helen and Clint had all tackled the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon.

There had been plenty more racing since then, with Tom, Kitty and Helen also competing in the Upton Summer Series. Kitty had put herself firmly into contention for the overall women’s title, battling it out with Helen O’Neile of Poole Runners, while Helen Beddoe was looking set for victory in the women’s 40–44 category. Tom, meanwhile, had climbed quite high in the overall standings.

It wasn’t clear who would win but the BAC bunch were hoping they would be in the frame

And if one hot and hilly half marathon wasn’t enough, Tom and Kitty subsequently headed to the Stur Half Marathon, where both improved on their Blackmore Vale times.

Earlier in the same week as the Stur Half, Tom and Kitty had also recorded their fastest ever 5K times at the Bournemouth AC Tuesday evening track event.

Tom Casson was likely to be near the front

With the fifth Upton Summer Series race on that week as well, there was certainly no shortage of miles in the legs by the time they arrived among the sunflowers.

Tom produced another impressive performance, despite the course seemingly doing everything possible to slow him down.

The opening mile was virtually all uphill, yet he still managed an excellent 6:29. The second mile contained both descent and ascent and came out at 7:13, before another sustained climb on the third mile saw him record 8:35.

Tom works his way along the trail

That might have suggested the hills were beginning to take their toll, but Tom wasn’t finished yet. He cranked the pace back up for a 6:52 fourth mile, followed by 7:05 for the fifth.

Then came another testing incline during mile six, which he negotiated in 8:46, before finding enough in reserve to finish with a 7:31 final mile.

Tom finished 4th in 53 minutes

All of that was enough to bring Tom home in an excellent fourth place overall in exactly 53 minutes.

Kitty Cook was 2nd fastest female

Kitty came 11th overall in 57:54

Kitty was not far behind, producing another strong run to finish 11th overall in 57:54. That was good enough for second female, with Sally Hall taking the women’s victory after finishing sixth overall in 54:44.

It was David Crowther’s last race before moving to Brighton

David went on the finish 14th

David Crowther crossed the line in 14th place in 58:54, while Clint was the next Bournemouth AC runner home, completing the challenging course in 1:01:41 for 18th place.

David’s time was 58:54

It was a great way for David to end his time in Dorset

Helen Beddoe and Clint Taylor

Helen Beddoe was next, recording 1:07:12 to finish 33rd overall and sixth female.

Helen and Clint were running together for some of the race

Clint’s regular running partner Zoe Meaton was also taking on the hills and she completed the course in 1:12:12, placing 53rd overall and 14th female.

Clint works his way up the hill

Helen Beddoe enjoying the race

At the sharp end, Leuan Baker took the victory in 49:47, with Adam Woollard second in 51:25 and Jamie Ings third in 51:56.

Helen and Clint heading along the trail

Helen and Clint helped each other through the tough sections

For the Bournemouth AC crew, though, the real success was the shared experience.

Clint finished in 1:01:41

The five had packed an awful lot of racing and training into a relatively short period, and the Sunflower Stride provided another opportunity to race together, support one another and enjoy the sort of camaraderie that makes running clubs so much more than a collection of people chasing times.

Helen crossed the line in 1:07:12

Kitty with her trophy for 2nd female

It was also a particularly memorable occasion for David, as this was his final race before moving to Brighton to take up physiotherapy.

Tom, Clint and David after completing the race

Helen, Zoe and Kitty after the race

After all those races, training runs and shared miles, there could hardly have been a better send-off.

The trophy and medal were nice sunflower themed mementos for Kitty

The sunflowers, the hills, the views, the racing and, most importantly, the company combined to make the Sunflower Stride a memorable evening for the Bournemouth AC crew – and one that David will hopefully remember fondly when he starts his new chapter in Brighton.

Zoe Meaton had fun with her BAC chums

The RNLI Swanage Lighthouse Loop Run gets underway

The Purbeck Trail Series moved on to its second fixture of the season in the shape of the RNLI Lighthouse Loop and that race saw one of the Bournemouth AC‘s top women, Isabel Cherrett, take to the start line.

There are some races where the scenery is so spectacular that you could almost forget you’re supposed to be concentrating on running.

The RNLI Lighthouse Loop around Swanage and Durlston Country Park is certainly one of them.

With the Jurassic Coast providing the backdrop, the 5k trail race heads from Swanage through Durlston Country Park towards Anvil Point Lighthouse before bringing the runners back towards the finish. It might look idyllic, but with 450 feet of elevation packed into a relatively short distance, it’s certainly not a course that gives away fast times for free.

And if there’s one man who knows how to deal with a few hills, it’s Jacek Cieluszecki.

The Lighthouse Loop was the second round of this year’s Purbeck Trail Series, following the Coombe Keynes 10k where the legendary former Bournemouth AC star was victorious. Stu Nicholas had won that race last year on his way to successfully defending his Purbeck Trail Series title, and he had also taken the Lighthouse Loop crown twelve months ago.

Stu wasn’t on the start line this time, but JC was.

And given his extraordinary record on this sort of terrain, it was difficult to look beyond him as the man to beat.

Jacek had previously won the Lighthouse Loop in an astonishing 18:05. That remains a ridiculous time for a course of this nature and demonstrated just how well the veteran can handle the climbs, descents and twisting trails.

Stu’s winning time last year had been 18:53, almost identical to his previous winning time, so another close battle at the sharp end looked to be on the cards.

Isabel Cherrett has established herself as one of the club’s most exciting young athletes, and she came into the race with an impressive collection of results behind her.

She is the Dorset County Champion over 1500m and finished second in the 3000m at the Dorset County Schools Championships. She also enjoyed an excellent cross country season, finishing second at the South West Championships, 21st at the English Schools Championships and 25th at the National Inter Counties.

Then there’s the small matter of a 17:48 5k at the Yeovilton Summer Series.

So while the Lighthouse Loop might not be the sort of course on which you would expect a track specialist to be at her most comfortable, Izzy certainly had the credentials to make an impression.

She had already shown exactly what she could do in the Purbeck Trail Series too.

At last year’s Coombe Keynes 10k she finished first female and, in the process, set a new course record.

This time, she would have to settle for second.

But there was certainly no disgrace in that.

The Lighthouse Loop was the second race of the Purbeck Trail Series

Izzy tackled the tough coastal course with her usual determination and completed the 5k in 21:32, which put her 19th overall and second female.

The runner who beat her was none other than the reigning Purbeck Trail Series champion, Isabel Zanconato of Purbeck Runners.

She produced an impressive 20:51 to finish 15th overall and take the women’s victory.

It was a strong performance from Izzy though on a course which asks very different questions to the fast, flat circuits where she has been producing those eye-catching track and road times.

At the very front of the race, meanwhile, there was an unexpected twist.

Jacek Cieluszecki set off at roughly six-minute-mile pace despite the climbing, which was perhaps a sign that he wasn’t exactly treating the opening section as a sightseeing expedition.

The 117 feet of elevation was never going to bother him too much and JC demonstrated once again that when the road points upwards, he tends to regard it as an opportunity rather than an inconvenience.

His second mile came in at 6:12 before the course began to turn to a downhill trajectory.

With the descents arriving, Jacek accelerated to a 5:38 third mile before really opening the taps.

The remainder of the race was covered at around 4:49-mile pace as he hurtled towards the finish.

That produced an excellent overall time of 18:48.

Normally, on this course, that would probably be enough.

This time, remarkably, it wasn’t.

Jacek was beaten by Jesse Bryant, who produced an outstanding 18:39 to take the victory.

Jacek Cieluszecki had to settle for second place in this year’s showdown

For someone who has made the Lighthouse Loop and similar Purbeck terrain something of a speciality, JC being beaten here was a genuine surprise.

Matthew Clark of Purbeck Runners was only another 13 seconds behind, taking third in 18:52, while Poole Runners’ Jack Matthews completed the top four in 19:15.

Jenny Marshall of Purbeck Runners was third female and 26th overall in 22:14. Louise Fox of Dorchester RIOT was fourth lady in 22:43 which put her 28th overall.

So the Lighthouse Loop produced another fascinating chapter in the Purbeck Trail Series.

There was a familiar name near the front in Jacek Cieluszecki, but even he couldn’t quite conquer the competition this time, with Jesse Bryant producing a superb run to deny him.

And for Bournemouth AC, there was another strong showing from Isabel Cherrett.

Second female, 19th overall and 21:32 on a demanding coastal trail represents another excellent result for an athlete who continues to demonstrate that she is just as capable away from the track as she is on it.

With four races still to come in the Purbeck Trail Series, there should be plenty more opportunities for the yellow and blues to make their presence felt.

Patrick Kingston was focused on the task at hand when he set out to tackle on the Crazy Mountain 100

There are some races where you look at the distance and think, that’s a long way. Then there are races where you look at the distance, the elevation profile and the location, and start wondering whether the organisers have perhaps taken leave of their senses.

The Crazy Mountain 100 in Montana, USA, falls firmly into the latter category.

A 100-mile race through the Crazy Mountains, with around 23,000ft of vertical gain, is not exactly a gentle stroll through the countryside. And for Bournemouth AC’s Patrick Kingston, it was the latest – and arguably toughest – addition to an already rather impressive off-road CV.

Patrick arrived in Montana having already completed nine 100-mile races, successfully getting through six of them. So, while there was naturally plenty of respect for what lay ahead, he knew from experience that 100 miles was a distance he could handle.

The mountains, however, clearly hadn’t read his CV.

Adding to the slightly unnerving nature of the trip was the small matter of being told, on arrival in Montana, that he really ought to acquire some bear spray to carry with him.

Nothing quite says welcome to the race like being advised what to do if you bump into a grizzly.

Patrick’s running resumé was already colourful and extravagant

Patrick duly accepted that this was probably sensible advice and set about preparing for his journey through the Crazy Mountains.

His recent form suggested he was well equipped for the challenge. He had only just come off the back of completing the Verbier Marathon in Switzerland, an alpine trail race featuring around 3,000m of elevation. That followed a string of seriously demanding mountain races.

There was the 90km TOR130 Tot Dret in the Italian mountains, with around 25,000ft of climbing; the 70km La Moins’Hard in Chamonix, which involved a formidable 5,600m of ascent; and the Ultra Trail Vipava Valley in Slovenia – a mere 110km with 4,800m of climbing.

As if that wasn’t enough, Patrick has also twice taken on the Sierra Blanca “Destroyer” in Marbella, covering 43.2km and 2,800m of ascent, while the Nivolet-Rivard 55k in the French Alps added another 2,860m to the climbing tally.

So Patrick wasn’t exactly arriving in Montana without mountain-running experience.

But knowing you can run 100 miles and actually running 100 miles through the Crazy Mountains are two rather different things.

Over the course of the next day and a bit, Patrick steadily worked his way through the course, dealing with the distance, the climbing and whatever else the Montana wilderness decided to throw at him.

And this time there was no DNF.

Patrick showed his ‘never say die’ attitude by getting through the entire 102 miles

After 1 day, 8 hours and 48 minutes, Patrick finally reached the finish line, completing the Crazy Mountain 100 and adding another hundred-miler to the completed column.

More importantly, he finished in a very respectable 71st place overall.

With a substantial number of runners failing to make it all the way to the finish, simply completing the course was an achievement in itself. To come home inside the top 100 makes the result even more impressive.

At the sharp end, Pete Behrends was the only runner to break the 24-hour barrier, winning the race in 22:51. Adam Campbell finished second in 1:01:37, with Nick Kuneman taking third in 1:02:07, just four minutes ahead of fourth-placed Chase Dupont.

The women’s race was led by Blair Speed, who clearly wasn’t planning on hanging around. She finished 12th overall and first woman in 1:04:25. Annie Hughes and Kirstin Moehi crossed the line together in 1:04:55 to take second and third female places, with Sylvia Greer following in 1:05:12.

But for Bournemouth AC, the result that mattered was further down the finishing order.

Patrick Kingston had gone to Montana with nine previous 100-mile attempts behind him and six successful finishes.

He left with number seven.

Another 100 miles ticked off, another set of mountains conquered and, presumably, another good story to tell about why carrying bear spray while running 100 miles is perfectly normal.

Although after 23,000ft of climbing, the bears may have been the least of his worries.

The Bournemouth AC team were geared up for a hot, hilly and huge test

It was another sweltering day for the eighth round of the Dorset Road Race League at the Stur Half Marathon, with a hilly course and temperatures making this one of the toughest tests of the season.

After finally getting their first league win of the campaign at the Purbeck 10k, the Bournemouth AC men had been unable to repeat the feat at the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon, finishing fourth despite Josh Cole taking an impressive individual victory. The result did at least keep the men in third place in the Men’s First Division, with plenty still to play for.

Ben Collins, Jack Davis and Stu Nicholas waiting to start the race

The women were enjoying considerably more success. Katie Gunn finished second female at Blackmore Vale, Kitty Cook was fourth and Helen Beddoe 18th as Bournemouth AC claimed another team victory. It was their fourth win of the season and put them in an excellent position in the Ladies Second Division.

The yellow and blues were ready to roll

The main event gets underway

There was plenty of strength in the Bournemouth AC line-up for Stur Half, with Stu Nicholas, Ben Collins, Jack Davis, Barry Dolman and Jack Barwick making up a strong men’s team.

A strong Bournemouth outfit set off on their way

For the ladies, Katie Gunn and Kitty Cook were back again, this time joined by Lara Hudson, who was making her Dorset Road Race League debut.

Stu Nicholas leads the men home

Stu Nicholas arrived at Stur in excellent form after taking second place in the Beat the Boat 10k at Windsor and Eton.

Tom Casson attacks from the outset

That came after a particularly busy spell earlier in the season when Stu had raced twice over one weekend — or three times if parkrun is included — finishing ninth at the Purbeck 10k on the Friday evening before taking fourth place at the Coombe Keynes 10k.

The BAC ladies team consisted of Lara Hudson, Kitty Cook and Katie Gunn (as she was then)

Jack Barwick and Katie Gunn head off on their way

It has already been quite a year for Stu, with a parkrun PB, a 10k PB, victory in the Norfolk Marathon and a second-place finish in the North Dorset Marathon all added to his collection of results.

He made a suitably aggressive start at Stur Half, going through the first mile in 5:35. The next four miles came in 5:48, 5:42, 5:45 and 5:48 respectively, putting him in an excellent position as the race began to settle down.

Stu Nicholas was the first Bournemouth AC man to arrive at the finish

He continued to run strongly through the middle section of the race, recording 5:57 for mile six, 6:02 for seven and 5:56 for eight before posting 6:10 for mile nine and 5:55 for mile ten.

The final three miles were always going to be a different proposition. With the Stur Half’s notoriously tough closing section including a long, steep climb in the final couple of miles, the heat and accumulated fatigue began to take their toll.

Stu finishing 9th in 1:18:08

Stu posted 6:17 for mile 11, 6:26 for mile 12 and 6:16 for mile 13 before crossing the line in 1:18:08.

That was enough for an excellent ninth place overall.

Ben Collins was next home for Bournemouth AC, putting in a very strong performance despite the conditions.

Currently training for the Abingdon Marathon, Ben had entered Stur as a kind of warm-up and fitness check to see where he was at. He had already run well to finish seventh at the Purbeck 10k and had also set PBs in both the 2000m and 3000m steeplechase during the summer.

Ben Collins finished 10th in 1:18:41

He maintained a remarkably consistent pace for the first ten miles, staying between 5:50 and six minutes per mile before showing plenty of resilience over the difficult closing stages.

His final three miles came in 6:13, 6:21 and 6:19, giving him a finishing time of 1:18:41.

That was exactly six minutes per mile on average and saw him finish tenth overall.

Jack Davis was another Bournemouth athlete enjoying a superb season and he produced one of the most consistent performances of the day.

Jack Davis somehow managed to clock a fantastic PB despite the heat and the hills

With more than 500 feet of elevation on the course, maintaining a steady pace was always going to be difficult, but Jack churned out splits around the six-minute-mile mark for almost the entire race.

Better still, he appeared to be getting stronger relative to the opposition as the race went on. His final three miles were 6:07, 6:11 and 6:01, an excellent way to finish such a demanding half marathon.

He crossed the line in 1:19:09 for 12th place and a brilliant PB that he wasn’t really expecting.

Jack’s season has already included 10k and half marathon PBs, as well as his quickest-ever 5k at the Bournemouth AC Tuesday night track event. His standout performance may well have been his superb sub-2:50 at the Cork City Marathon, but this was another impressive addition to an outstanding year.

Dolman delivers again

Barry Dolman ran well to finish in just under 1:23

Barry Dolman continued his excellent season by recording 1:22:58 and finishing 21st overall.

That made him Bournemouth AC’s fourth scorer and gave him an average pace of 6:21 per mile, a tremendous effort given the heat and the Stur Half course’s relentless elevation.

Barry has already enjoyed a remarkable year. He ran a superb sub-36-minute 10k at the British Masters 10k Championships in Chichester to take an M55 bronze medal, before producing an incredible 2:48:26 PB at the Barcelona Marathon.

Jack Barwick arrives on the finishing straight

The Bournemouth AC scoring team was completed by Jack Barwick, who crossed the line in 1:25:17 for 28th place.

Jack had already demonstrated at Blackmore Vale that he is well equipped to deal with a hot, hilly half marathon, running a superb 1:26 when many athletes were floundering in the conditions.

Jack completed the scoring team for the BAC men

His regular exposure to the hills around the Lytchett loop probably helps, with plenty of climbing on his doorstep providing a rather effective form of strength training.

The Bournemouth AC men therefore finished second in the league race.

They were level on points with Twemlow Track Club, whose Sam and Luke Jackson finished fourth and fifth scorers respectively. Jack’s 28th-place finish put him ahead of Luke, which was enough to give Bournemouth AC second place and Twemlow third.

Poole AC took a fifth victory of the season, with Lester James of Team Bath winning the individual race for the second consecutive year in a superb 1:11:23. That result gave Poole AC an unassailable lead in the Men’s First Division, with Twemlow Track Club the only team still mathematically capable of matching their points total — and they would need to win all four remaining races to do so.

Katie battles to third

Katie went on to finish third female

Katie Gunn hadn’t quite been at her best this season, but there had still been plenty of highlights. She finished second female at the inaugural SOBO 5, second at both the Lytchett 10 and Blackmore Vale Half Marathon, and third female at the Purbeck 10k.

Stur was always going to be a particularly demanding test.

Katie battled her way through the heat to finish third female and 60th overall in 1:33:16.

This was just before Katie got married and became Katie Bentley.

That put her just behind Victoria Pye of Egdon Heath Harriers, who also ran 1:33:16, while Abigail Jones of Poole Runners took a clear victory in 1:29:20, finishing 42nd overall.

Despite not quite having the season she would have hoped for, Katie’s consistency has kept her right at the sharp end of the league individual standings.

Another big step forward for Kitty

Kitty Cook finished 10th female

Kitty Cook was next home for Bournemouth AC in 1:37:35, taking tenth female and 77th overall.

Kitty has arguably been the fastest-improving Bournemouth AC athlete this season. A parkrun PB, five-mile PB and 10k PB have all come her way, while she also recorded her fastest-ever 5k at the club’s Tuesday night track event.

Her improvement has extended beyond individual times too. Kitty has been battling it out with Helen O’Neile for the women’s overall prize in the Upton Summer Series, with the six-race competition providing another opportunity to test her rapidly developing fitness.

It has been an impressive upturn in form, particularly considering how much less experienced Kitty was when she first joined Bournemouth AC.

There has been plenty of improvement in her household too, with partner Tom Casson also enjoying an excellent season. Tom has recorded parkrun, five-mile and 10k PBs and ran exactly 17:00 for his fastest-ever 5k at the Bournemouth AC track event.

Sanjai Sharma found it tough going in the heat

Tom also lined up at Stur Half and, as is often the case, he wasn’t hanging around at the start.

He opened with 6:25, followed by 6:35 and 6:53, but the combination of the heat and the increasingly difficult course meant that such an aggressive opening came at a cost.

The second half was considerably slower, although the second half of the Stur Half is also considerably harder. Tom ended up crossing the line in 1:35:07.

Sanjai came in to complete the course in 1:42:30

While he couldn’t maintain his early pace, it was still a positive result, coming three-and-a-half minutes quicker than his Blackmore Vale time.

Sanjai Sharma was also out for Bournemouth AC and, with the heat making conditions particularly difficult for him, it was never going to be an ideal day.

Nevertheless, he battled through to record a respectable 1:42:30, finishing 97th overall and fifth in the MV60 category.

It was another solid performance from Sanjai, who continues to turn out some very respectable times despite now competing in the V65 age group. His 3:28 at the London Marathon back in April is testament to the level he is still capable of producing.

Lara makes league debut

Lara Hudson made an excellent league debut

For Lara Hudson, Stur was her first appearance in the Dorset Road Race League.

Lara had made her Bournemouth AC debut at the SOBO 5, finishing ninth female in 35:57. She had actually entered the Stur Half before joining Bournemouth AC, so the timing worked out rather nicely for her first league outing in club colours.

Lara competed the scoring team and helped them win the ladies team prize

This was a very different proposition from the SOBO 5, though.

The heat was intense, the course was hilly and the final few miles were particularly demanding. Lara dug deep to get to the finish in 1:45:42, placing her 21st female.

That was a superb effort in the conditions — and even better, it represented a three-minute PB.

Her result also proved crucial for the team.

With Katie, Kitty and Lara all safely home, Bournemouth AC took first place in the Ladies Second Division for another valuable haul of league points.

Bournemouth AC take control

The Stur result was particularly significant for the Bournemouth AC women.

The Bournemouth AC ladies collect the team prize

It was another first-place finish in the Ladies Second Division and lifted the team to the top of the standings.

With four races still remaining, Bournemouth AC now need just two solid results from the final four rounds to secure promotion back to the top flight.

Behind them at Stur, Dorchester RIOT finished second and Verwood Runners third.

In the Ladies First Division, Littledown Harriers claimed their first victory of the season, ahead of Egdon Heath Harriers and Poole Runners. Egdon remain at the top of the table, with Poole Runners just ahead of Littledown in second.

Lytchett Manor Striders continued their march towards promotion from the Ladies Third Division, winning despite none of the clubs managing to field a full scoring team. Bournemouth Joggers were second.

Captain Rich multitasks in the 5k

Captain Rich Nelson got a piece of the action in the 5k

While the main Bournemouth AC teams were battling their way around the half marathon course, club captain Rich Nelson was keeping himself busy in the accompanying 5k race.

Rich managed to multitask impressively, taking on the roles of team manager, photographer and chief supporter, while also finding time to run the race himself.

He completed the 5k in 26:39, finishing 28th out of 67 runners and taking third place in the MV50 category. Not a bad effort considering he had doing several other jobs at the same time!

Rich completed the 5k in 26:39

The 5k was won by Brandon King in 19:54, with Joseph Page just seven seconds behind in 20:01 and Theo Hough taking third in 20:43.

Olivia Chapman was fourth overall and first female in 21:01, while Harriet Scott of Wells City Harriers was second female in 21:49.

So, while Rich may not have been wearing the Bournemouth AC vest for the main event, he certainly wasn’t short of involvement — keeping tabs on the team, capturing the action from behind the camera and cheering everyone home as well as squeezing in his own race.

Round the Lakes next

It was a good day for the Bournemouth AC squad

The next Dorset Road Race League fixture is the Round the Lakes 10k.

That race is traditionally a favourite among the Bournemouth AC runners, and with the men’s team still fighting near the top of the Men’s First Division and the women now in pole position for promotion, there should be plenty of blue and white on the start line.

With four races remaining, the Bournemouth AC league campaigns are very much alive — and there is now plenty to look forward to.

Clint Taylor was out for another go at the Maiden New Ten

There aren’t that many annual races that take place on a Wednesday evening but the Maiden New Ten is one of those slightly unusual events – a midweek, multi-terrain 10k organised by Maiden Newton Runners and, for Clint Taylor, one of the races that he looks forward to most.

Having enjoyed the event last year, Clint was back again, accompanied by his regular racing partner Zoe Meaton, who sometimes joins in with the Bournemouth AC training sessions. The pair have built up quite a race CV together, although their approach to competition is to have fun, first and foremost.

Clint and his running partner Zoe Meaton were ready for a fun 10k

They’ve tackled plenty of events together, including last December’s Slow and Dirty, a 19km trail race along the old railway line at Sturminster Newton, and the Run to the Sea 50k in October. Clint has also been keeping himself busy lately, taking on the SOBO 5 and Lordshill 10k on the same weekend before going on to score for the team at the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon, where he ran 1:55 on a particularly hot day.

With only 10k to worry about at the Maiden New Ten, Clint and Zoe decided to go their own separate ways on this occasion.

Clint got things underway with a sensible 7:51 opening mile before the course served up its main challenge. Mile two brought the big climb of the race and the combination of gradient and multi-terrain footing saw the pace drop to 9:35. That split came with 211 feet of elevation, though, so there was plenty of hard work packed into those nine-and-a-half minutes.

Clint was hitting a good pace as he progressed round the course

The reward for getting over the top was a welcome descent, and Clint made the most of it. Mile three flew by at 7:11 before he settled into another solid 7:37 for mile four.

From there, it was really a case of keeping things controlled through the closing stages. Clint managed that nicely, recording 8:03 for mile five and 7:49 for mile six.

There was still a slight incline to negotiate on the way to the finish, but he came through it well to stop the clock at 49:40.

Clint finished 29th in 49:40

That was good enough for 29th place from 169 finishers, with an average pace of 7:59 per mile. The course had delivered a total elevation gain of 482 feet, making that sub-50-minute performance all the more impressive.

Zoe went along at her own pace for this one

Zoe was having a strong race of her own and crossed the line in 58:11, finishing 78th overall. Of the 73 women taking part, she was 20th female, while her 7th place in the FV45 category came from a field of 18.

It was clear to see Zoe was enjoying the run

Clint also made it onto the category podium, taking 3rd place in MV45, with 20 runners in the age group.

Michael Legg of Crewkerne Running Club led the way

Rob Parker of Bridport Runners was in pursuit

Adrian Kettle of Yeovil Town RRC

Phillippa Loakes of Poole Runners was the leading lady

Emma Watson-Jones of Bridport was close behind

Michael Legg was way out in front

At the sharp end, Michael Legg of Crewkerne Running Club took a convincing overall victory in 36:38, with Rob Parker of Bridport Runners second in 39:03. Yeovil Town RRC’s Adrian Kettle and Joseph Keen completed the top four in 40:58 and 41:16 respectively.

Rob Parker finished runner up in 39:03

Adrian Kettle took third in 40:58

The women’s race was considerably closer. Phillippa Loakes of Poole Runners edged Emma Watson-Jones to the line in a remarkable battle for first female – although remarkably, both runners were awarded exactly the same chip time of 47:00.

Phillippa Loakes just made it to the line as first female

Emma Watson-Jones recorded the same chip time of 47 minutes

Sally Bugler of Bridport Runners took third female in 47:36, with Donna Pearce of Lytchett Manor Striders fourth in 47:44.

Zoe was 20th female

Zoe was 7th FV45 in a time of 58:11

It was a very nice setting for a race

For Clint and Zoe, though, the finishing positions were arguably secondary to the reason they turn up to races in the first place. They enjoy racing, they enjoy the challenge and, most importantly, they have fun whilst doing it.

Zoe and Clint show off their medals after completing the race

Another Maiden New Ten done – and another excellent evening out on the trails.

Maiden Newton made for a somewhat splendid location

Nathan Mearns was hoping the Apple Plod 10k.ish would prove fruitful for him at the Cider Weekend

Looking to add another win to his growing collection, Nathan Mearns lined up for the Apple Plod 10k.ish at the Cider Weekend event.

There’s obviously something rather agreeable about winning races. Nathan Mearns seems to have discovered this recently and, having already picked up victories at the Starburster 10 and Larmer Tree 10k, he arrived at the Apple Plod 10k.ish hoping to get another taste of success.

As it turned out, there was no shortage of sweetness.

Nathan stamped his authority on the race early

The event itself was held on an undulating farm-based trail course at Cranborne Chase Cider, with the organiser describing the terrain as fields, grass, wildflowers, crops and dusty tracks.

Nathan had clearly been working on his core strength and the fruits of his labour were there for all to see when he produced a a performance good enough to take the win in 46:51. That put him a healthy 1:22 clear of his nearest challenger, Peter Wright, who crossed the line in 48:13. He’s was in the 50-54 age category.

Nathan led the field with impressive speed and style

It was a comprehensive victory from the Bournemouth AC man, He didn’t just win it – he won it rather convincingly.

The Apple Plod was the Sunday finale to a busy Cider Weekend at Cranborne Chase Cider in Minchington. There was a 5k.ish on Friday, the Cider 24 Solo Challenge and Cider 12 Night Challenge that evening, followed by the 12-hour Day Challenge on Saturday before the weekend eventually reached its climax with the Junior Apple Plod and the Apple Plod 10k.ish on Sunday.

Nathan was in cruise control as he progressed round the course

So there was plenty going on, although Nathan was clearly more interested in getting his hands on the cider-themed spoils than sampling the full running menu.

Nathan was first to arrive at the finish

Alex Phillips completed the podium in 49:20 and there was also an excellent performance from Gemma Russhard, who finished fourth overall in 50:21 and took the honours as first female.

Stu continues his comeback

It was great to see Stu Glenister was back out there racing

A familiar face amongst the Bournemouth AC fraternity, Stu Glenister was next home for the club and produced another encouraging performance as he continues his comeback to full fitness.

Stu finished fifth overall in 53:39, a result that represents another positive step forward.

Stu heads through the field demonstrating some good speed

Stu has been through some tough times, but running has once again started to provide that familiar solace and, perhaps more importantly, the feeling that he is beginning to rediscover himself as a runner.

Stu has always been a fan of trail racing

There is still work to do before he’s back to where he wants to be, but performances like this suggest the comeback is very much heading in the right direction.

Stu ran well to finish fifth overall

Behind him, Marion Frewin finished sixth overall and was second female in 54:45, while Kelvin Ward produced another age-category performance of note, finishing seventh in 55:01 and taking first place in the over-70 category.

Stu got round in a time of 53:39

Stu’s wife Sharon also had a good run, finishing 18th overall and sixth female in 1:09:36.

Sam Taylor-Mearns crossed the line in 24th overall and 11th female in 1:17:05.

Riley gets the weekend started

In the Cider 5k.ish on Friday, Riley Albin, who had been participating in the the Upton Summer Series, got the win.

Riley took first place in 22:45, after what has been a productive period of racing

Montague goes the distance – and then some

It was another trophy in the bag for Nathan

While Nathan was putting together his winning performance over the Apple Plod, others were taking the concept of endurance to a rather different level.

In the 24 Hour Solo Challenge, Justin Montague completed an astonishing 30 laps, covering 105 miles.

Yes, 105 miles.

Stu also took home a trophy for his troubles

That’s quite a lot more than Andrew Lennon, who finished second after completing 18 laps for a still-impressive 63 miles.

Justin wasn’t the only Montague putting in the mileage either. Melissa Montague completed 25 laps in the women’s competition, covering 87.5 miles.

It makes the Apple Plod suddenly seem like a rather short trip to the cider barn.

Night runners refuse to sleep

There was also plenty of mileage accumulated after dark in the 12 Hour Night Challenge.

Jason Woods completed 12 laps, covering 42 miles, to lead the way, while Clemmie Kerridge completed nine laps for a total of 31.5 miles.

That’s an awful lot of laps when most sensible people would have been thinking about getting into bed.

Weston AC duo share the honours

The Solo Challenge also produced a rather unusual outcome, with Weston AC’s Kevin Bale and Sophie Bennett both completing 17 laps.

That equated to 59.5 miles apiece and was enough to see Kevin finish first male and Sophie first female.

There was of course time for a celebratory cider afterwards

Carys Gallagher of Westbourne RC was second female after completing 16 laps, covering 56 miles.

All of which made for a suitably exhausting Cider Weekend.

For Bournemouth AC though, the headline belonged to Nathan Mearns.

Another race. Another victory.

And with the Starburster 10, Larmer Tree 10k and now the Apple Plod 10k.ish all safely in the trophy cabinet, Nathan is clearly developing quite a taste for winning.

Rob McTaggart (far side) was amongst the corporate world’s top running talent at the Standard Chartered Great City Race

Investing heavily in a stacked out running regime, you can always bank on Rob McTaggart to produced a good result when he needs to to compete with the high flyers. His performance in the the Standard Chartered Great City Race 5K was no exception to that and when you crunch the numbers, it was an impressive display.

Representing his employers Nationwide Building Society, Tag lined up in what is billed as London’s premier 5K corporate running event – a race which takes runners through the heart of the City, passing such iconic landmarks as St Paul’s Cathedral and the Bank of England.

The runners wait in their starting pen ahead a fast 5k

And while the event might have been a corporate race, there was certainly nothing corporate about the standard at the sharp end.

The runners are on the start line ready to action

Tag arrived in the capital an hour later than intended after problems with the trains, leaving him with little time to spare before the start. Somehow, though, he made it to the line and, once the gun went, it was business as usual.

The 40-year-old Bournemouth AC man went out hard, opening with a blistering 5:07 mile and immediately putting himself among the leading runners. There was plenty of quality around him, but Tag was right in the mix.

He then turned the screw further, storming through the second mile in an even quicker 4:57. At that stage he was right in the battle for third place and looked to have every chance of a podium finish.

Tag was hoping to get off to a good start and stamp his authority on the race

Unfortunately, the race was about to take an unwelcome turn.

Part way through the third mile, Tag was forced to negotiate a cone and lost some of the momentum he had built up. In a race being fought at such a ferocious pace, even the smallest interruption can prove costly, and he found it difficult to get back up to speed.

He still managed an excellent 5:12 for the third mile, but the slight drop-off was enough to see several runners get away from him and his hopes of a podium placing disappeared.

Tag nevertheless powered on to the finish in 15:46, securing an excellent eighth place overall from 3,539 finishers.

It was a hugely competitive race, with no fewer than 16 athletes breaking 16 minutes.

Andrew Fyfe of Hampshire Trust Bank won the race in 14:41

The winner was Andrew Fyfe of Hampshire Trust Bank, who produced a superb 14:41 to be the only runner to dip below 15 minutes. Samuel Jinks of Travers Smith was second in 15:23, with Tom Baines of Slaughter and May taking third in 15:31.

Tag was just one second away from another notable achievement. Chris Busaileh of Charles Russell Speechlys finished immediately ahead of him in 15:45 and took the honours in the 40-44 age category.

So close, yet another reminder of just how well Tag is performing against runners of all ages.

Turning 40 certainly hasn’t appeared to slow him down.

In fact, Tag’s recent record suggests quite the opposite.

Only recently he had taken on the JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge in Battersea Park, where he tore round the 3.5-mile course in 18:30, finishing ahead of all but a tiny fraction of the 20,626 runners.

Before that came a dominant victory in the inaugural SOBO 5. Tag took on the five-mile out-and-back course from SOBO Beach Bar to Hengistbury Head and back, completing it in 27:22 and winning by the considerable margin of two minutes from Bournemouth AC team-mate Craig Palmer.

Earlier in the year he had also claimed victory in the Lytchett 10, recording 55 minutes and holding off the challenge of Christopher Peck of Egdon Heath Harriers, the Dorset men’s individual champion from the previous season.

The top three of the Standard Chartered Great City Race

The latest performance in London therefore fits neatly into a remarkable sequence of results.

The Standard Chartered Great City Race may not have quite gone the way Tag would have wanted after that unfortunate loss of momentum, but there can be no doubt about the quality of the performance.

A 15:46 5K, eighth place in a field of 3,539 and just one second away from the leading 40-44 runner is another superb result.

And judging by the way Tag is currently running, turning 40 has done little more than add another number to his race entry.

Women’s Race

The top three women take to the podium

There was also an exceptional performance at the front of the women’s race, with Nancy Bowley of Potter Clarkson LLP taking victory in a highly impressive 16:09.

Daisy Smith of Grant Thornton finished second in 17:30, while Karima Hudson of Stephenson Harwood took third in 17:42.

With the leading men and women producing such fast times, the Standard Chartered Great City Race once again proved to be far more than just a corporate day out — and Tag showed that he is more than capable of mixing it with the very best of them.

Stu Nicholas was trying to beat the boat and beat everyone else in the race as well

Swapping the hills and trails of Purbeck for the banks of the Thames, Stu Nicholas took on the somewhat unique Beat the Boat 10k at Windsor and Eton.

There aren’t many races where you have to worry about being beaten by a boat, but that is exactly what makes the event different. Runners set off on an out-and-back course beneath the impressive backdrop of Windsor Castle, following the Thames path while five pace boats – targeting 40, 50, 55, 60 and 70 minutes – head off down the river with supporters on board cheering their runners on.

Stu sets off on his way in the Beat the Boat 10k

The idea is simple enough. Pick your boat, run as fast as you can and try to get back before it does.

For Stu, it was another race squeezed into what has already been a busy and successful season.

It was set to be an enthralling race

He had recently begun the defence of his Purbeck Trail Series title with fourth place at the Coombe Keynes 10k. His 38:30 there was actually half a minute quicker than the time he ran when he won the race two years ago, but the standard was strong and he had to settle for fourth.

Stu manoeuvres toward the front of the field

That came after an already busy weekend. Stu had run the Purbeck 10k on the Friday evening, finishing ninth in 35:36, before getting another run in at parkrun the following day.

Joe Bartlett leads the way with Stu in second place

Stu is never particularly concerned about racing back-to-back though and has been having an excellent season. He has already taken his 10k PB down to 33:22 and recorded a parkrun best of just over 16 minutes. He has also picked up wins at the Norfolk Marathon and finished runner-up at the North Dorset Village Marathon.

Stu head along the river banks

So there was little reason to expect him to take things easy at Windsor.

The race started at a frantic pace, with Stu wasting no time getting after it. He went through the first mile in 5:26, putting himself right into contention as the runners raced alongside the Thames.

Stu is always tough to beat in races

The pace inevitably eased slightly after that blistering opening mile, but Stu continued to push, clocking 5:42 for the second mile and 5:53 for the third.

He then posted another 5:50 for mile four before recording 5:52 for the fifth. There was still plenty of work to do, with the sixth mile coming in at 5:58 as the race headed towards its conclusion.

Stu was maintain a good pace as he progressed through the course

By then the result was becoming clear. Stu crossed the line in 36:15 to take second place, with only Joe Bartlett managing to get the better of him.

Bartlett secured the victory in 35:47, while Katie Knowles of Cornwall AC finished third overall in 37:49 to take the prize for first female.

Stu is just ahead of Joe Barnett

Steven Ramek of Chessington Unity Running Club was fourth in 38:06 and also picked up the first MV60 prize.

Stu checks his watch as he leads the way

For Stu, it was another impressive performance and another podium finish to add to an already packed season. More importantly, he managed to make it back to the finish before all of the boats – which, given the name of the race, is probably the main thing.

Joe Bartlett took the win in the end

Stu’s wife Anna was also on the start line for the 10k as well.

Stu’s wife Anna was also running it

She crossed the line in 59:43, finishing 220th out of the 484 runners.

With the Thames, Windsor Castle and a fleet of boats full of supporters providing the backdrop, Beat the Boat certainly offered something a little different. And with Stu once again finding his way onto the podium, it proved another successful outing for the Bournemouth AC runner.

Anna and Stu with Simon Webster after the race

Stu mimics the pose of the runner on the trophy

Stu shows off the trophy he received for finishing second

The Beat the Boat medal

It was time for the annual sightseeing trip around London for Barry Dolman at the Saucony 10k

There are some races that become annual fixtures in the diary, and for Barry Dolman the London 10k is certainly one of them.

This year marked Barry’s fourth consecutive appearance in the race, and, impressively, his times have improved on every visit. He clocked 37:49 in 2023, followed by 37:38 in 2024, before making a sizeable leap last year with 37:16.

This time around, however, Barry arrived in London with considerably more speed in his legs.

He had already recorded two 10k PBs this year, beginning with a 36:53 at Stubbington in January. He then produced an outstanding 35:49 at the British Masters 10k Championships in Chichester, earning himself a superb bronze medal in the M55 category.

So, with the bar already set pretty high, what could Barry produce on the streets of central London?

Quite a lot, as it turned out.

It was a fourth consecutive appearance at the London 10k for Barry

The London 10k is one of the capital’s most iconic road races, starting and finishing alongside Green Park and taking runners through Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, Leicester Square, Charing Cross, the Embankment and Westminster. Along the way there are some fairly distracting landmarks to admire, including Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

Not that Barry appeared particularly interested in the sightseeing.

It was a hot day in London, but Barry wasn’t taking any prisoners, setting off at 6 minute pace for the opening mile.

Big Ben was among the iconic landmarks that Barry passed on the route

The second mile is slightly downhill and Barry took full advantage, winding the pace up to 5:39. He then came through the 5k point in 18:13, after a third-mile split of 6:01.

With half the race completed, it was time to keep the pressure on.

Barry responded with a 5:46 fourth mile, before clocking 6:04 for mile five. The sixth mile came in at 6:13, but with the finish line now firmly in sight, there was still enough in the tank to bring him home in a superb 36:54.

Barry was able to hold down a pretty fast pace through the race

That was only a few seconds outside his Chichester PB, but the performance was particularly impressive given the heat and the quality of the field.

It was also a quite remarkable winning margin.

Barry was first M55-59 by almost four minutes, finishing well clear of the 468 other runners in his age category. His 36:54 was a seriously impressive performance in a field of 469 M55-59 competitors.

Overall, Barry finished 180th out of 13,868 competitors, with an average pace of 5:57 per mile.

Up at the sharp end, there was an equally impressive battle for the men’s title. Just two runners dipped under 30 minutes, with Seyfu Jamaal edging out Run Bournemouth Half Marathon winner Oluwatosin Adedji by a single second, stopping the clock at 29:48. Eight men broke 31 minutes, while 14 finished inside 32 minutes.

Barry produced a great time which put him a long way ahead of any others in his age category

The women’s race was won by Lucy Jenks in 33:50, good enough for 44th overall. Holly Archer of Cambridge & Coleridge was second in 34:32 and 62nd overall, with Becky Briggs third in 34:43 and 67th overall.

For Barry, though, the London 10k was another excellent marker in what is turning into a remarkable season.

His last big race was the Cape Town Marathon in May, where he ran 2:50 and finished 11th in the M55-59 category for the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group World Championships.

Barry has also been making his presence felt in the World Marathon Majors Age Group rankings. His superb 2:48:32 at the Barcelona Marathon earlier in the year propelled him to 134th in the rankings and secured qualification for the Tokyo Marathon, where he will compete as one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group contenders.

And Barry isn’t finished ticking off the majors just yet.

He is now building towards the Chicago Marathon in October, as he continues his quest to complete the Seven Star World Marathon Majors.

Before then, though, there’s unfinished business back in London.

Barry will return to the capital for The Big Half, where, given his current form, he is likely to be going all out for another PB.

And with the way this season has been going, could we even see Barry break 1:20 for the first time?

On current evidence, you certainly wouldn’t bet against it.

Patrick Kingston was in his element on the steep slopes of the Swiss mountains

There are marathons, and then there are marathons where the organisers think that 26.2 miles isn’t quite enough of a challenge and decide to put a mountain in the way.

The Verbier Marathon in Switzerland falls very firmly into the latter category.

Part of the UTMB World Series, the Verbier Marathon is a 43.1km alpine trail race with more than 3,000m of climbing. It is described by the organisers as a “real alpine marathon”, combining runnable sections with technical mountain trails. The highest point is Mt Rogneux at 3,084m, so this is rather different from a few laps around the local roads.

Fortunately, Bournemouth AC‘s Patrick Kingston is no stranger to mountains.

The mountainous terrain came with some breath-taking views

Patrick has already built up an impressive off-road CV, including 90km of the TOR130 Tot Dret in the Italian mountains, where he tackled around 25,000ft of elevation, the 70km La Moins’Hard in Chamonix with 5,600m of ascent, and the Ultra Trail Vipava Valley in Slovenia – a whopping 110km with 4,800m of climbing.

He’s also completed the Sierra Blanca “Destroyer” in Marbella twice, covering 43.2km and 2,800m of ascent, as well as the Nivolet-Rivard 55k in the French Alps, which added another 2,860m of climbing to the resumé.

So, while the Verbier Marathon would represent a significant challenge for most runners, Patrick arrived in Switzerland with rather more experience of high mountains than your average marathoner.

The race certainly didn’t ease him into it.

The opening 7.5 miles were almost entirely uphill, with the route eventually reaching around 10,000ft. The terrain was technical and very much alpine trail running, where knowing where to put your feet is almost as important as knowing how fast to move them.

The start area of the Verbier Marathon

After 9.5km, Patrick was sitting in 345th place. He had made a couple of places by the time he reached Rogneux at 11.9km, moving up to 342nd.

But the steady progress was about to become much more noticeable.

By the time Patrick reached Pindin at 15.9km, he had climbed all the way up to 295th place. Three hours of running had brought him 47 places, which was particularly impressive given that the early part of the course was dominated by climbing rather than the sort of terrain where you can simply open your legs and get the miles ticked off.

At 21.7km, Patrick had gained another couple of places and, after four hours and 22 minutes, he had finally reached the halfway point.

If that sounds like an unusually long time to run a half marathon, remember that this was Verbier rather than Bournemouth. There was still a lot of mountain between Patrick and the finish.

Patrick progressed through the field well as the miles ticked by

The next section brought a long descent, running from around the 13-mile mark all the way down towards the 23-mile point. Technical descents can be every bit as demanding as climbs, particularly after several hours on the legs, but Patrick continued to pick off runners.

When he reached the next checkpoint at 33.5km, he had moved up another 29 places to 264th.

That left roughly 10km to go, although the final 4km or so weren’t exactly handed to him on a plate. After all that climbing and descending, the last two-and-a-half miles were uphill again.

Patrick, however, stayed strong.

He eventually crossed the finish line in 7 hours, 18 minutes and 55 seconds to finish 251st overall and an excellent 7th in the Men’s 50–54 category.

Out of 1,484 starters, 1,391 runners made it to the finish, meaning 94 competitors didn’t complete the course. Patrick’s performance was therefore particularly impressive on a course that demanded both endurance and genuine mountain-running ability.

He also accumulated around 9,500ft of elevation during the race – which is a fairly substantial amount of going up for something with “Marathon” in its name.

At the sharp end, Frenchman Lucien Mermillon won the race in 4:26:59, with Dylan Ribeiro second in 4:36:38 and Italy’s Elia Bongiovanni third in 4:38:29. Lucille Germain was the first female finisher, coming home ninth overall in 5:10:58. The official results record Mermillon’s winning time and the 43km, 3,000m-plus nature of the event.

For most runners, a 43km race with thousands of metres of climbing would be a major target in itself.

For Patrick, though, Verbier was arguably something slightly different.

It was another serious mountain challenge, another chance to test himself over difficult terrain and, perhaps, a particularly useful training exercise for what was still to come.

Because Patrick wasn’t finished.

Waiting on the horizon was the Crazy Mountain 100 in Montana, USA – a 100-mile race featuring around 21,000ft of elevation.

Now that’s a marathon distance with a bit of an extension.

Given Patrick’s record of taking on some of the toughest mountain races around, he had every reason to head into that enormous challenge with confidence. The Verbier Marathon had provided another 43km of experience, another 9,500ft of climbing and, importantly, another demonstration that he can keep moving forward when the course gets tough.

A superb performance from Patrick in Switzerland, and another very impressive chapter added to an already formidable ultra-running resumé.