Following back-to-back promotions, the Bournemouth AC men found themselves in Division One of the Hampshire Road Race League for season 2024 to 2025 season. A split in the Winchester & District camp had left them unable to field teams for most of last season’s races and they had been relegated from the top flight as a result. That scenario had resulted in the formation of Winchester Running Club and they had managed to power their way through to promotion from the third division.

Southampton AC’s relegation from the top division as well had presented Bournemouth AC with a golden opportunity to go for a league championship win this season. There were still some top level clubs in there who could provide a threat though including City of Salisbury, Ryde Harriers and Andover, plus Alton Runners and current champions Lordshill.

This will be a huge season for Bournemouth AC though and there is definitely a feeling around the camp that something special could be on the cards. The squad has been rejuvenated of late and they were bolstered by the return of Joe Arundel for the first race of the season, the Overton 5. Joe hadn’t raced on the road since setting a new course record the Broadstone Quarter on New Year’s Day but he had won a 3000 metre race on the track in 8:50.87 and registered a 14:51 parkrun at Poole in June.

The Overton 5 race also presented Bournemouth AC runners with a last chance to put in a performance and make their bid for a place in the A-team for the forthcoming SEAA Road Relays event in Aldershot. Ben Collins, Adam Corbin, Tom Farwell, James Hulbert and Craig Palmer were all hoping to do just that and the competition for places was fierce. That could only be a good thing for the club’s prospects of coming away from Overton with a good result though.

Paddy McCalister, Chester Clarke, Patrick Kingston and Leon Louis were also competing along with Kate Bowers and Debbie Lennon from the ladies faction. There was even an appearance from Road Runners captain Rich Nelson who still enjoys getting involved in races from time to time.

The Bournemouth AC men had made a winning start in both of their previous season’s at the Overton 5 and they were very much hoping for the same again.

Not many people can get the better of Joe Arundel in a footrace but talented 17-year-old Will Atkins of Winchester Running Club was willing to try and he came very close. Joe emerged as the winner though in a time of 25:55, just edging Will out by a second on gun time although the pair had both registered the same chip time.

It was a marvellous win for Joe though and it was great for the Bournemouth AC fraternity to see him in this type of form going into the Road Relays. Will’s Winchester RC teammate Matthew Port took 3rd place in 26:33 with City of Salisbury man Stuart Holloway taking 4th in 26:50. He was also top MV40.

Henry Haslam of Southampton was 5th in 26:53 and Joshua Price of Isle of Wight Road Runners claimed 6th in 27:12. Stanley Parkinson was Winchester Running Club’s 3rd man over the line when he arrived in 7th place in a time of 27:23.

The first mile of the Overton 5 has quite a lot of downhill before you embark on the first big climb towards the end of the split. Adam Corbin blasted through the first mile in 5:16, outlining his intentions for a quick time. Craig Palmer and Ben Collins went through the opening split in just over 5:30 which was probably a more sensible and sustainable pace.

Patrick Kingston and James Hulbert weren’t far behind either as they began to work their way up the long climb that went on for a further kilometre. Despite the hill, Ben got through his next mile in 5:48, with Adam, Craig and James all registering a 5:56 split.

There was another notable climb on the third mile and Ben got through that in 5:58. Adam and Craig got through it in 6:05. The fourth mile contains the final climb of the race which is a short sharp one that is tough to get up. After that though, its all downhill or flat for the remainder of the race so quite a fast run in for those who have anything left.

It was a hot day as well which added to the challenge and most the Bournemouth AC runners struggled to hit the pace they would have hoped to. Ben did well though, registering a 5:57 for his fourth mile. Adam was down to 6:12 for his fourth mile and after managing a 6:04, Craig had gained some ground on him and was now only just behind.

With a 5:35 for his final split, Ben crossed the line in 28:48 which put him in 19th place. Taking into account the 275ft of elevation he’d faced and the hot conditions, that was a decent run from Ben and he’d clocked an impressive average pace of 5:44.

Getting back to speed for the last mile which he also did at 5:35 pace, Adam crossed the line in 22nd place recording a time of 29:12. It wasn’t anywhere near as quick as he thought he’d go so he was a bit disappointed after but that is the nature of the course. The hills are tough and if you set off too quickly you can pay the price.

By most people’s standards, that was still a very good time though so Adam can take solace from that. Craig had finished quite strongly and had ended up up being not too far behind Adam. He was 4th scorer and 24th overall in 29:16 putting his average pace at 5:50.

Considering all the struggles Craig has had in trying to get back into running whilst losing weight and regaining fitness, it was a very solid effort. It was also a good building block to work from. It also meant that he’d come in as fourth scorer for the A-string team, showing that he can still have something to offer in competitive terms.

The only team to have had four scorers in higher positions than Bournemouth AC were Winchester RC and since they’re in the second division, that made it a winning start for BAC in the top division. It was a huge statement of intent from the yellow and blues.

The next Bournemouth AC man over the line was James Hulbert and he took 38th place clocking a time of 30:05 putting his average pace at 5:57. He’d struggled up the long climb but aside from that, it was a satisfying performance from James.

Completing the course in 30:21, Tom Farwell finished in 44th place with an average pace of 6:03. The hills of Overton probably weren’t quite as challenging as the French Alps where Patrick Kingston has been doing a lot of his running recently. He got round in a time of 30:52 which put him in 53rd position. His average pace was 6:10 and that put him 5th in the MV45 bracket.

Completing the scoring quartet for the B-team, Paddy McCalister was the next man over the line and he clocked a time of 31:24 which put him in 62nd place. That was an average pace of 6:16 and he was pleased with that effort over a hilly course.

The next BAC member to appear at the finish area was Chester Clarke and he clocked a time of 31:56 which put him 73rd overall. Then it was Leon Louis who was making his official race debut for the club. He got round in 32:15 which put him 80th overall and 10th in the MV40 category. His average pace was 6:26.

It was a more hilly race than Kate Bowers was expecting and the heat didn’t help her cause either. She handled it well though, registering a time of 35:40 which made her 17th female and 5th in the FV35 bracket. Her average pace was 7:07 and she was 150th in the overall standings.

Not being a fan of races of a hillier persuasion, Debbie Lennon didn’t overly enjoy her Overton experience. She started off at a good pace and finished with a good last mile as well but struggled on the hilly sections. Making it to the finish in a time of 38:52, Debbie was 32nd female and 3rd in the FV60 division. In the overall standings she came 216th and that was out of a total field of 466. 167 of those participants were women.

Erin Willmers of Winchester RC was first female and she got through the course in 29:50 which put her 34th. Her nearest rival was Emma Stevens of Aldershot, Farnham & District and she registered a time of 30:57 which put her 55th overall.

Tamsin Anderson of Winchester RC was 3rd female, crossing the line in 31:25 and that put her 60th overall. Last season’s women’s individual champion Emma Jolley came 4th in a time of 31:31 and she finished 65th overall.

Completing the course in a time of 40:21, Rich Nelson finished 245th overall and was 24th in the MV50 category. It was great to see Rich getting in on the action and enjoying his running again after suffering from ongoing injury problems for a number of years.

The league tables still haven’t been posted on the HRRL website but it was great for the Bournemouth AC men that they were able to open the season with a win in the first division and that will set them up nicely for the 11 races that are still to come.

It is shaping up to be an enthralling season for the yellow and blues and they are certainly in a position where they can achieve all their road race league goals and have the quality in their arsenal to do so.