The Bournemouth AC team were looking to end the Hampshire Road Race League season on a high at the Lordshill 10k

Twelve months ago, Bournemouth AC left the Lordshill 10k celebrating one of the greatest achievements in the club’s recent history.

After back-to-back promotions in the previous two seasons, they crowned an incredible rise through the Hampshire Road Race League by becoming A1 division champions. Having started that campaign with victory at the Overton 5, they never looked back, eventually lifting the title in style at Lordshill.

This season, however, had been a completely different story.

Ironically, it had started in the same fashion. The Bournemouth AC men once again opened the campaign by winning the first fixture, this time the Totton 10k. They looked well placed to mount another title challenge.

Unfortunately, things unravelled from there.

A group of Bournemouth AC runners arrive together for the big race

A disappointing sixth-place finish at the Overton 5 was followed by a succession of races where the club failed to field complete teams. With every missed fixture came more penalty points and any hopes of defending their title quickly disappeared.

By the time the league arrived at its twelfth and final race, relegation had already been confirmed. Bournemouth AC would be returning to the A2 division next season after just a single campaign amongst the elite clubs of Hampshire.

Despite that disappointment, there was still plenty to race for.

The final fixture at Lordshill offered one last opportunity to remind everyone what Bournemouth AC were capable of when they managed to get their strongest runners on the start line. Unlike several of the previous league races, they travelled to Southampton with arguably their strongest squad of the season.

Leading the charge was Luke Martin, who had enjoyed another excellent campaign. Having finished third at both the Alton 10 and the Purbeck 10k, he had established himself as one of the club’s leading performers over the summer and looked capable of mixing it with the very best in the field.

The Bournemouth team were ready for a tough but fun encounter

Alongside him was Bryn Smith, one of the key architects of last year’s championship-winning side, while Jack Davis arrived in superb form after what had already been a breakthrough season.

Jack’s year had begun with an excellent 35:16 personal best at the Stubbington 10k before he went on to break 80 minutes for the half marathon for the first time at Bath. If that wasn’t enough, he then produced a magnificent sub-2:50 performance at the Cork City Marathon, firmly establishing himself as one of the club’s most improved distance runners.

Harry Butcher was another athlete enjoying a remarkable run of form.

His list of personal bests continued to grow almost every time he raced. A sub-38-minute 10k at Eastleigh was followed by a 1500m PB of 4:32 at the Bannister Miles meeting in Oxford before lowering his mile best to 4:52. More recently he had clocked 28:44 for five miles at the May 5 before dipping under 9:40 for 3000m at a BMC meeting in Winchester.

Jake Mowat also came into the race carrying excellent form, although perhaps with slightly heavier legs than everyone else.

Jack Davis was hoping to continue his excellent run of results

Just twenty-four hours earlier he had smashed his parkrun personal best with a time of just under 16:30. The obvious question was whether he could back that up with another fast performance over 10k or whether the effort would prove one race too many. His current 10k best of 35:16, set at Stubbington earlier in the year, suggested he certainly had the ability if his legs recovered in time.

Elsewhere in the men’s squad, Rich Brawn arrived after clocking 38:15 at the Purbeck 10, while Tom Casson had every reason to be confident following an excellent personal best of 39:38 at the Purbeck 10k.

The women’s squad suffered a late setback when Kate Bowers was forced to withdraw, leaving Bournemouth AC with three representatives.

Kitty Cook headed the team after narrowly missing out on a podium finish at the Purbeck 10k. In what had been her first ever race over the distance, she had run 41:43 and finished just one second behind Dorset League individual leader Victoria Pye. Having continued her impressive summer by winning races in the Upton Summer Series, she looked capable of lowering that mark again.

Bryn Smith was part of a strong BAC attack

Helen Beddoe was also enjoying an excellent season. After running 45:16 at Purbeck, she had been putting together a string of consistent performances in the Upton Summer Series, where she currently led her age category.

Making her 10k debut was Holly Collier.

Although she was unsure exactly what to expect over the distance, her pedigree was unquestionable. Having won the senior women’s title in the Wessex Cross Country League last winter after several injury-disrupted years, there were clear signs that she was beginning to rediscover the form that had made her one of the region’s leading female runners.

At the front of the race, attention inevitably centred on the Hampshire Road Race League individual standings.

Vectis Academy’s Joshua Price had already wrapped up the men’s title after an outstanding campaign in which he had competed in every single race. Four victories and podium finishes in all but one event underlined his consistency throughout the season.

Harry Butcher usually runs a smart race

Standing in his way were several familiar rivals, including Winchester Running Club’s Henry Edwards, who had recently got the better of Price at the Netley 10k. Christopher Newnham of Ryde Harriers and Andrew Winterbottom of Winchester Running Club also promised to be major contenders.

The women’s race looked equally competitive.

League leader Rachel Walsh of Alton Runners lined up alongside Emma Jolley of City of Portsmouth and Totton’s Bexy Dew, with the top three in the standings all present for the season finale.

As the race got underway, Luke Martin immediately established himself as Bournemouth AC’s leading runner.

Opening with a superb 5:21 first mile, he followed it with splits of 5:25 and 5:31 to reach halfway in 16:54, placing him tenth overall despite the exceptional quality at the front of the field.

Rich Brawn was in his fourth consecutive Lordshill 10k race

The slightly downhill opening half of the course gave way to the more demanding return journey, but Luke continued to run with impressive consistency.

A fourth mile of 5:29 was followed by splits of 5:38 and 5:34 as he maintained his rhythm all the way to the finish. His second 5k of 17:05 was the fifth fastest in the entire field and lifted him three places to finish seventh overall in an outstanding 33:58, averaging 5:29 per mile.

It was another excellent performance from Luke and yet more evidence of the consistency he has shown throughout the season.

Just behind him, a trio of Bournemouth runners featuring Bryn Smith, Jack Davis and Jake Mowat settled into an ambitious early pace, all passing the opening miles at just under 5:30 pace before easing slightly through the third mile.

Luke Martin led the charge from the Bournemouth AC perspective

At halfway Bryn occupied 17th place in 17:18, Jack was 21st in 17:20 and Jake sat just behind in 23rd with 17:27 on the clock.

The challenge, however, was only just beginning.

The return journey at Lordshill is notoriously more demanding than the outward leg, with a gradual uphill drag culminating in a lengthy climb over the final kilometre.

It was over those closing miles that Jack Davis produced one of the standout Bournemouth performances of the day.

Jack looked remarkably composed as the course began to bite.

Jack Davis produced another excellent performance

Splits of 5:42 and 5:48 over the fourth and fifth miles set him up perfectly for the notoriously testing finish. While many around him began to fade on the long uphill drag to the line, Jack dug deep, limiting his losses with a determined 5:56 final mile before covering the closing 0.2 miles strongly to stop the clock at 35:23.

His second-half split of 18:03 made him the 15th fastest runner in the entire field over the closing 5km, highlighting just how well he judged his effort. Finishing 17th overall at an average pace of 5:41 per mile, it was another excellent performance and one which further reinforced his status as one of Bournemouth AC’s most improved athletes this season.

Bryn Smith wasn’t far behind.

Bryn Smith was third scorer for the BAC men

One of last year’s championship-winning team, Bryn once again produced the kind of dependable performance that has made him such an important part of Bournemouth AC’s road running squad over recent seasons.

Having reached halfway in 17:18, he battled hard over the tougher second half to record an 18:27 split. Although the uphill return inevitably slowed the pace, he still finished 24th quickest over the closing half of the race and crossed the line 19th overall in 35:44.

If Jack and Bryn demonstrated the benefits of measured pacing, unfortunately the opposite proved true for Jake Mowat.

After producing a superb parkrun personal best of just under 16:30 less than twenty-four hours earlier, there had always been a question mark over how much energy remained in the tank.

Jake Mowat blew up in the second half after his parkrun PB the day before

For the opening half of the race, it appeared there was nothing to worry about.

Jake reached 5km in 17:27 and remained firmly in contention amongst Bournemouth AC’s leading runners.

However, the combination of the previous day’s effort, rising temperatures and the relentless uphill second half eventually took their toll.

What followed was a dramatic slowdown as Jake found himself alternating between jogging and walking for much of the return journey. His second-half split ballooned to 22:24 — only the 192nd quickest in the field — and he slipped from 23rd at halfway to eventually finish 87th overall in 39:49.

Despite the disappointment, Jake remained philosophical afterwards. Having already taken a sizeable chunk off his parkrun best the previous morning, he knew his fitness was moving firmly in the right direction and accepted that backing up two maximal efforts on consecutive days had simply proved one challenge too many.

Harry Butcher completed the scoring A team

Another runner to produce an excellent display was Harry Butcher.

His opening miles of 5:32, 5:46 and 5:51 demonstrated the increasingly mature pacing that has become a feature of Harry’s racing this year. Passing halfway in 17:53, he occupied 30th place overall with plenty still left to give.

The second half brought splits of 5:55 and exactly six minutes through the fifth mile before Harry produced one of his trademark strong finishes.

Rather than fading on the climb to the finish, he responded with an impressive 5:47 final mile before accelerating over the closing section at around 5:11 mile pace.

His second-half 5km of 18:09 ranked as the 17th quickest in the entire race and earned him 23rd place overall in an excellent 36:01.

With Luke Martin, Jack Davis, Bryn Smith and Harry Butcher all inside the top 25, Bournemouth AC’s A-team scoring four had done everything they could.

After the frustrations that had characterised so much of the Hampshire Road Race League season, the club finally managed to field the calibre of team that had been missing from several previous fixtures.

Their efforts were rewarded with second place behind Winchester Running Club on the day – a fitting reminder of the strength that still exists within the squad when everyone is available.

At the front of the race, Christopher Newnham of Ryde Harriers produced a superb run to claim victory in 31:56.

Already crowned Hampshire Road Race League individual champion, Joshua Price rounded off his outstanding campaign with another runner-up finish in 32:05, while Southampton’s Hezbawi Tekete completed the podium in 32:16.

Dylan Poulton of Alton Runners took fourth in 33:20 ahead of Darren Robinson of Gosport in 33:54, while Winchester’s Andrew Winterbottom edged team-mate Henry Edwards by just over twenty seconds to finish sixth in 33:56.

Rich Brawn was first scorer for the B-team quartet

Luke Martin’s seventh-place finish ensured Bournemouth AC had representation amongst some of the strongest runners in Hampshire once again.

Further back, Rich Brawn produced another typically controlled performance.

Passing halfway in 18:14, he occupied 37th position before producing one of the strongest second halves of anyone around him. His closing 5km of exactly 19 minutes ranked as the 33rd fastest in the race, allowing him to work steadily through the field to finish 32nd overall in 37:13.

The performance also earned him an excellent fifth place in the highly competitive MV40 category.

Tom Casson improved on his 10k best with a 38:56

Tom Casson continued his impressive run of form with another personal best.

Having already dipped under forty minutes for the first time at the Purbeck 10k, Tom looked comfortable throughout, reaching halfway in 18:53 in 57th place.

Rather than fading over the demanding closing kilometres, he held his pace well, covering the second half in 20:04 before crossing the line in 38:56.

Not only did that represent another lifetime best, it also secured 60th place overall and demonstrated the consistency he has developed over recent months.

Patrick Kingston was fourth scorer for the B-team

Patrick Kingston enjoyed another solid outing.

A first-half split of 20:06 had him well inside the top 150 before he completed the return leg in 21:31 to finish in 41:27, placing 133rd overall and 40th in the MV40 category.

That was enough to give the Bournemouth B-team the best score in the B2 division. Unfortunately they’ll still be relegated though after not fielding a team for most of the races.

Chris O’Brien put in a controlled performance

Chris O’Brien adopted a more conservative approach.

Still not feeling fully fit, he elected to treat the race more as a controlled tempo effort than an all-out race.

Even so, his consistency was impressive.

Jason Christian didn’t have one his best outings

Going through halfway in 20:43, Chris improved his position during the second half with a 21:01 split to finish in 41:38, placing 145th overall and 17th in the MV50 category at an average pace of 6:42 per mile.

Jason Christian found the conditions more challenging than hoped.

Jason got round in 42:06

Passing halfway in 21:02, he battled gamely throughout the tougher closing section before finishing in 42:06, taking 156th place overall and 19th in the MV50 category.

Sanjai Sharma also suffered during the increasingly warm conditions.

Sanjai Sharma struggled with the heat

Running strongly through halfway in 21:01, he occupied fifth place in the MV60 category before dizziness forced him to stop and walk on several occasions over the second half.

Despite the difficult finish, Sanjai still battled home in 43:33 to finish eighth in his age category.

David Crowther got round in 44:27

David Crowther reached halfway in 21:25 before finding the uphill return particularly testing.

His 44:27 finish earned him 216th overall, while Tom Ralph – Bournemouth AC’s sole representative at the previous HRRL fixture at Netley – recorded 45:06 after another determined effort.

Tom Ralph coasted round nicely

Clint Taylor completed the Bournemouth AC contingent, finishing in 47:28 after never giving up despite the challenging final climb.

While the Bournemouth AC men produced one of their strongest team displays of the season, the women’s squad was unfortunately reduced to three runners following Kate Bowers’ late withdrawal through injury.

Clint Taylor rounded things off for the BAC team

Even so, the trio all produced performances full of encouragement.

The battle for the overall women’s honours was every bit as intriguing as expected, with the top three in the Hampshire Road Race League standings all lining up together for one final showdown.

Ryde Harriers’ Carly Scoble ultimately took the race victory, finishing 40th overall in an impressive 37:48.

Behind her, Emma Jolley of City of Portsmouth edged a fascinating contest for second place, crossing the line in 38:57, with Totton’s Bexy Dew just four seconds adrift in 39:01. Rachel Walsh of Alton Runners was fourth woman home in virtually the same time, recording 39:01.

Kitty Cook had been in terrific form of late

Although Rachel narrowly missed out on the podium on the day, her consistency throughout the season proved decisive as she secured the Hampshire Road Race League women’s individual title.

Emma Jolley finished second overall in the standings, with Bexy Dew completing the top three after another consistently excellent campaign.

For Bournemouth AC, Kitty Cook once again led the way.

Having only made her 10k debut at the Purbeck 10k a few weeks earlier, where she ran 41:43 and missed out on a podium place by just one second, there was every reason to believe another personal best was within reach.

She set off confidently, reaching halfway in 20:15 to sit 12th female and 138th overall.

Kitty secured a new PB and was 12th placed female

Like several Bournemouth runners, Kitty actually produced a stronger relative performance over the more demanding second half. Her closing 5km of 21:20 ranked as the 11th fastest by any woman in the race and the 130th fastest overall among the entire field of 783 finishers.

Crossing the line in 41:18, she not only lowered her personal best by 25 seconds but also retained 12th place in the women‘s race.

Whether the improvement was partly aided by Lordshill being a slightly quicker course than Purbeck is open to debate, but a personal best is a personal best, and Kitty continues to establish herself as one of Bournemouth AC’s most exciting female road runners.

Holly Collier was doing her first ever 10k race

Making perhaps the biggest impression of all was Holly Collier.

Competing over 10 kilometres for the very first time, Holly admitted beforehand that she had very little idea what sort of time she was capable of producing.

Given her outstanding cross-country pedigree, however, there was always a feeling that once she returned to full fitness after several injury-hit years, strong road performances would inevitably follow.

She reached halfway in 20:32, sitting 14th woman and 151st overall before producing an equally impressive second half of 21:19.

Holly ran well to finish 13th female

That ranked as the 12th fastest female second-half split of the afternoon and carried her through to 13th place in the women‘s race.

Her finishing time of 41:38 represented an excellent debut over the distance and suggested there is considerably more to come once she gains further experience on the roads.

Helen Beddoe arguably produced Bournemouth AC’s performance of the day.

Having arrived with a previous best of 45:16 from the Purbeck 10k, few would have predicted the size of the improvement she was about to produce.

Passing halfway in 21:13, Helen was already running well inside personal-best pace, sitting 17th female overall and fourth in the FV40 category.

Helen Beddoe recorded a magnificent new PB

Despite the demanding second half, she maintained her effort superbly, covering the return leg in 22:17 before stopping the clock at 43:21.

The performance took eight seconds off her previous best and earned her 18th place in the women‘s race, fourth in the FV40 category and 181st overall.

It was a tremendous breakthrough performance and one of the biggest surprises—in the best possible sense—of the afternoon.

Although Bournemouth AC’s women were one runner short of a scoring team, the performances of Kitty, Holly and Helen provided plenty of optimism heading into next season.

When the team scores were finally confirmed, Bournemouth AC had finished second in the men’s competition on the day behind a dominant Winchester Running Club side.

Unfortunately, the result arrived too late to alter the overall league standings.

Helen chalked eight seconds off her previous best

The damage had been done over previous months through missed fixtures and incomplete teams, leaving Bournemouth AC anchored to the foot of the A1 division and condemned to relegation.

In truth, the final table didn’t really reflect the strength within the squad.

Whenever Bournemouth AC managed to field a full team, they were capable of competing with the very best clubs in Hampshire, as demonstrated once again at Lordshill. The problem was availability rather than ability.

Winchester Running Club fully deserved their league title, winning each of the final five fixtures of the season and claiming victory in seven of the twelve races overall. Their remarkable consistency saw them comfortably finish ahead of Denmead Striders, with Alton Runners completing the top three.

Liss Running Club joined Bournemouth AC in being relegated from the A1 division.

In the men’s A2 competition, Vectis Academy topped the standings after winning five fixtures and will replace Bournemouth AC in the A1 division next season alongside Overton Harriers.

The Bournemouth AC members gather for a post race debrief

At the other end of that division, Andover and Southampton were relegated after difficult campaigns, while Isle of Wight Road Runners and Hamwic Harriers secured promotion from A3.

Winchester also underlined their remarkable strength in depth by topping both the men’s B1 and B2 divisions, while Denmead Striders won B3.

In the women’s competitions, Winchester were crowned A1 champions after winning nine of the twelve fixtures, Totton claimed the A2 title despite New Forest Runners taking victory at Lordshill, while Hamwic Harriers finished their superb campaign by sealing the A3 championship.

For Bournemouth AC, however, the afternoon was perhaps less about league tables and more about restoring a little pride.

The yellow and blues did the club proud in the final race of the HRRL season

After the disappointment of a season that never truly got going following that opening-day victory at Totton, the club finally demonstrated the standard of performances they are capable of when able to field a strong squad.

Relegation is never welcome, but it also offers an opportunity.

Having reached the summit by becoming Hampshire Road Race League champions just twelve months earlier, Bournemouth AC now have the chance to regroup, rebuild and return stronger. With a core of talented young runners continuing to improve, experienced campaigners still leading from the front and an emerging women’s squad showing real promise, there is every reason to believe the club can challenge at the top of the A2 division next season.

If Lordshill proved anything, it was that the quality remains there.

Now the challenge is ensuring that quality is consistently on the start line.

The Bournemouth AC team were ready for a hot and hilly and very challenging Blackmore Vale Half Marathon

For the second year running, the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon found itself displaced from its traditional February slot, with one of Dorset’s toughest races instead taking place in the height of summer. While runners were spared the usual freezing temperatures, they were presented with an entirely different challenge as the mercury climbed on a sweltering July afternoon.

The Blackmore Vale Half Marathon is never an easy assignment. The relentless climbs and undulating roads make it one of the most demanding races on the Dorset Road Race League calendar at the best of times. Add soaring temperatures into the equation and it was always going to become a real battle of attrition.

Josh Cole was hoping that with better pacing he could contend for the win

Fortunately, the organisers had done everything possible to ensure the welfare of the competitors. Cold sponges were available out on the course, numerous water stations helped runners keep hydrated and wet towels awaited them at the finish line. Athlete safety was understandably the priority throughout the day, but with valuable Dorset Road Race League points on offer there was still plenty to race for.

Bournemouth AC travelled to Sherbourne in confident mood after recording their first Men’s First Division victory of the season at the Purbeck 10k. That result had given the squad a timely lift and they arrived hoping to build further momentum against another exceptionally strong field.

Leading the yellow and blue charge was Josh Cole. Twelve months earlier he had produced a fine run to finish fourth on the same course but afterwards admitted he’d paid the price for going off too quickly in the searing heat. Determined to learn from that experience, he adopted a much more measured approach this time around. In a race as demanding as Blackmore Vale, patience is often rewarded.

Rich Brawn had his entry carry over from the postponed February date

Rich Brawn was also back in action after encouraging recent performances, having finished 34th at the Purbeck 10k in 38:15 before improving to 32nd at the Lordshill 10k in 37:14. Jack Barwick continued his comeback from injury after an impressive fifth place at the SOBO 5 in 29:56 and 20th place at the Alresford 10k in 38:26, while Tom Casson had shown encouraging form with a personal best of 38:57 at Lordshill following a 39:28 run at Purbeck. Clint Taylor completed the men’s scoring team after clocking 46:04 at Purbeck and 47:28 at Lordshill.

The Bournemouth AC ladies also fielded a strong trio consisting of Katie Gunn, Kitty Cook and Helen Beddoe.

Katie arrived with plenty to race for. Last season she narrowly missed out on the Dorset Road Race League individual title simply because she had completed six races instead of the seven required to qualify. Had she contested just one more fixture, she would have been crowned champion. Having finished second female behind clubmate Louisa Rowland at the SOBO 5, she remained firmly in contention this season.

Katie Gunn had her eye on the Dorset League individual standings

Kitty Cook had also enjoyed an excellent run of form. She was only denied third female by current league leader Victoria Pye at the Purbeck 10k after running 41:43 before improving again to 41:24 at Lordshill. Helen Beddoe meanwhile had produced one of the surprise performances of the summer with a superb personal best of 43:29 at Lordshill following her run at Purbeck.

As expected, the battle at the front looked set to revolve around Poole AC duo Thomas Corbin and Lewis Clarke, arguably the two standout performers in the Dorset League this season. Wimborne AC pair Louis Verdi and Mark Savage occupied the top two places in the men’s individual standings after completing all six previous races, while Twemlow Track Club once again arrived in force with Nick Reynolds, Steven Rigby, David Jones and brothers Luke and Sam Jackson all strengthening their challenge.

In the women’s competition, Victoria Pye led the individual standings and was backed up by Egdon Heath Harriers teammates Ellie Laird and Teresa Green. Poole AC’s Dawn Andrews also returned after another impressive season which had included second female at the Purbeck 10k.

Helen Beddoe was one of the three BAC ladies in action

Despite the course dropping away in the opening stages, nobody at the front was prepared to be drawn into making an early move. Josh Cole, Lewis Clarke and Tommy Corbin were content to settle into an easy rhythm together, chatting as they covered the early downhill miles.

Everyone knew what was waiting.

One of the unique features of the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon is that every downhill section early on has to be repaid during the closing stages. What runners gain in the opening 5km they inevitably surrender during the brutal final climbs. It is a course that demands respect and rarely forgives poor pacing.

Josh had clearly learnt from last year’s experience.

Josh started off more conservative this time and it worked

Rather than forcing the pace from the gun, he remained patient throughout the opening miles, waiting until the race approached the ninth mile before finally making his decisive move. Once he surged clear, neither Lewis Clarke nor Tommy Corbin could respond despite giving chase over the closing stages.

In conditions which made fast times virtually impossible, Josh produced a magnificent display of controlled running to claim victory in 1:18:58. While that time might not immediately catch the eye on paper, it underlined just how severe the combination of hills and heat had been.

Lewis Clarke finished second in 1:19:39 with Thomas Corbin completing the podium in 1:19:55.

Josh got the win he had been craving this time round

Nick Reynolds ensured Twemlow Track Club maintained their strong challenge by taking fourth in 1:20:27 ahead of Dorchester RIOT’s Adam Woollard, who crossed in 1:21:55. Mark Savage continued his remarkably consistent league campaign with sixth place in 1:22:04, sharing the same finishing time as unattached runner James Sayers. Dorset Doddlers’ Ed Rees claimed eighth in 1:22:21, with Poole Runners’ Davis Penwarden ninth in 1:23:25 and Littledown Harriers athlete Christian Rodiger rounding off the top ten in 1:24:10.

Jack Barwick was in his element with the hilly terrain

Living on the infamous Lytchett Loop clearly provided excellent preparation for Jack Barwick. The Bournemouth AC runner looked comfortable throughout the demanding course and judged his effort superbly, finishing strongly in 1:25:29 to secure an excellent 15th place overall.

Rich Brawn arrived feeling optimistic after signs that his form was beginning to return over recent weeks. Unfortunately, that optimism gradually evaporated as the race unfolded.

Jack finished 15th in 1:25:29

The opening miles felt comfortable enough, but once the significant climbs arrived the combination of steep gradients and oppressive heat began to take its toll. With every passing mile he found himself slipping backwards through the field. Each time another runner came past there was simply no response available as the legs refused to cooperate.

Rich had a bad day and slipped down the field throughout the race

It became a long and deeply frustrating afternoon.

Eventually crossing the line in 27th place with a time of 1:28:04, Rich recorded his slowest half marathon for nine years. It was a performance which came as a genuine shock given his recent improvement, leaving him struggling to comprehend quite how badly the race had unravelled.

Tom had a real battle on his hands with the conditions and the undulations

Tom Casson also found the conditions exceptionally difficult. The relentless hills gradually wore him down and at one stage he even found himself being caught by girlfriend Kitty Cook as they worked their way through the later miles.

Not prepared to surrender local bragging rights quite so easily, Tom somehow dug deep when it mattered most. Finding one final effort over the closing stages, he managed to edge clear once again before reaching the finish in 1:38:32, securing 45th place overall after a determined display of perseverance in extremely demanding conditions.

Tom finished 45th in 1:38:32

Katie Gunn’s race carried huge significance in the context of the Dorset Road Race League individual championship.

Having missed out on the title last season simply through not completing enough qualifying races, every fixture this year has taken on added importance. Standing in her way once again was current league leader Victoria Pye of Egdon Heath Harriers and the pair produced another fascinating contest.

Katie judged her effort superbly. Rather than getting carried away by the downhill opening miles, she settled into a controlled rhythm and gradually worked her way through the field as others began to suffer in the heat.

Katie finished second female in 1:34:15

Victoria, however, was equally composed.

The Egdon Heath Harriers runner gradually established herself as the leading lady and never relinquished that advantage, crossing the line in 1:33:02 to finish 34th overall. Katie followed just over a minute later in an excellent 1:34:15, placing 39th overall and comfortably securing second female.

While Victoria claimed the maximum league points on the day, Katie’s performance ensured she remains firmly in contention for the individual title. With several races still to come, there is everything left to play for.

Kitty Cook had been in superb form of late

Kitty Cook endured more frustration in her pursuit of a podium finish.

Having narrowly missed out on third female to Victoria Pye at the Purbeck 10k earlier in the season, history almost repeated itself at Blackmore Vale. Running another strong race despite the demanding conditions, Kitty crossed the line in 1:38:55 to finish 49th overall.

Kitty just missed out on a podium place by nine seconds

Unfortunately for the Bournemouth AC runner, Ellie Laird of Egdon Heath Harriers managed to hold onto third female by just nine seconds, recording 1:38:46. It was another fine run from Kitty, but another agonising near miss.

Helen Beddoe completed the Bournemouth AC ladies’ scoring trio.

Helen showed great commitment to conquer the hills and the heat

Following her surprise personal best at Lordshill, this represented a completely different examination of endurance. The heat ensured times throughout the field were considerably slower than athletes would normally expect over the half marathon distance, but Helen dug in admirably to finish 18th female in 1:49:54, placing 89th overall.

Those three performances combined to deliver another excellent afternoon for the Bournemouth AC ladies.

With Verwood Runners taking second and Purbeck Runners third, Bournemouth AC comfortably claimed victory in the Ladies Second Division. It was their fourth divisional success of the season and another important haul of league points.

Helen finished 18th female in 1:49:54

Elsewhere in the women’s race, Sarah Genco of Littledown Harriers finished fifth female in 1:41:00 ahead of Teresa Green, whose 1:41:30 completed Egdon Heath Harriers’ scoring quartet. Miranda Aldridge of Verwood Runners claimed seventh female in 1:42:04, with Poole AC’s Dawn Andrews eighth in 1:42:13. Emily Kendall and Littledown Harriers’ Vicky Rutter completed the top ten female finishers in 1:42:45 and 1:42:54 respectively.

Sally Miller of Dorchester RIOT continued her consistent season with 11th female in 1:43:39 to strengthen her position near the top of the individual standings, while Jenny Marshall of Purbeck Runners rounded out the leading dozen women in 1:44:50.

Clint Taylor was fifth scorer for the BAC men

Back in the men’s race, Steven Rigby finished 11th overall in 1:24:18 ahead of Poole Runners’ Mark Peddle and Twemlow Track Club’s David Jones. Adam McCrea  was fourth scorer for Poole AC in 14th, one place ahead of Jack Barwick.

Littledown Harriers’ Mark Packers ran through the field impressively to finish 16th in 1:26:07 before Luke Jackson strengthened Twemlow’s challenge in 17th. Unattached James Nicholson was 18th, Barry Miller completed Poole AC’s scoring team in 19th and Louis Verdi maintained his excellent consistency with 20th place for Wimborne AC.

Steve Goodman was 21st before Twemlow Track Club effectively sealed the team victory with Sam Jackson, Ed Davies and Richard Swindlehurst arriving in quick succession in 22nd, 23rd and 24th places.

That strength in depth proved decisive.

Clint fought well despite the testing course and conditions he was facing

Clint Taylor completed the scoring team for the Bournemouth AC men, clocking a time of 1:55:24 which put him in 105th place overall out of 174 finishers.

Twemlow Track Club claimed victory in the Men’s First Division, narrowly getting the better of Poole AC. Wimborne AC finished third, while Bournemouth AC had to settle for fourth despite the outstanding victory from Josh Cole and another excellent run from Jack Barwick.

In the Men’s Second Division, Littledown Harriers strengthened their promotion challenge with another victory ahead of Poole Runners.

Dorchester RIOT emerged as the leading Men’s Third Division club on the day, with Verwood Runners second and Purbeck Runners third. With only seven races completed, the battle for promotion remains incredibly close, Purbeck holding only the narrowest of advantages.

Clint was relieved to arrive on the finishing straight

The Ladies First Division once again belonged to Egdon Heath Harriers. They and Littledown Harriers were the only clubs able to field the required four scoring runners, with Egdon claiming their third victory of the campaign to extend their lead over reigning champions Poole Runners.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth AC’s success in the Ladies Second Division continued what has been an outstanding campaign. Although Purbeck Runners remain at the summit after seven races, Bournemouth are applying increasing pressure with every fixture. Having now recorded four victories this season, the yellow and blues are beginning to look genuine favourites to overhaul the leaders before the campaign reaches its conclusion.

Tom after completing the race with Clint finishing in the background

Lytchett Manor Striders strengthened their grip on the Ladies Third Division by recording a fifth victory of the season. As the only club to field a complete scoring team, promotion to the second tier is beginning to look almost inevitable.

The Men’s First Division table remains headed by Poole AC despite Twemlow Track Club getting the better of them on this occasion, ensuring that championship battle remains finely poised heading into the latter stages of the season.

For Bournemouth AC, the afternoon ultimately provided a mixture of emotions.

The Bournemouth AC squad pulled together well in very tough circumstances

There was the undoubted highlight of Josh Cole producing a masterclass in pacing to record one of the biggest victories of his career. Having learnt valuable lessons from last year’s race, he executed his plan to perfection, timing his decisive move brilliantly before holding off two of the strongest runners in the county.

Jack Barwick continued his impressive return from injury with another assured performance, while Katie Gunn once again demonstrated why she remains firmly in contention for the Dorset League individual crown. The ladies also celebrated another important divisional victory to keep their title ambitions very much alive.

Not everyone left the Blackmore Vale smiling. The relentless hills and oppressive temperatures dealt out some harsh lessons, with several Bournemouth AC athletes enduring afternoons they would rather forget. Yet that is the nature of this notoriously unforgiving race.

Few events on the Dorset Road Race League calendar demand more from those brave enough to stand on the start line.

This year, the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon was less about chasing personal bests and far more about survival.

Those who conquered it had every reason to feel immensely proud.

The Bournemouth AC squadron were out in force for the first ever edition of the SOBO 5

A recent Friday evening saw a brand new addition to the local race calendar as Littledown Harriers hosted the inaugural SOBO 5.

Lara Hudson was making her Bournemouth AC debut

Starting and finishing outside the SOBO Beach Bar, the race followed a deceptively simple five-mile out-and-back route along Bournemouth promenade to the Dotto train turnaround point at Hengistbury Head before returning to the finish. On paper it was about as flat and fast as they come, but as is often the case on the south coast, the weather had other ideas.

Craig Palmer was back in race action

With many Bournemouth AC members keeping something in reserve for the Lordshill 10k later in the weekend, the Yellow Blues still fielded an impressive squad on home territory.

Among them was Rob McTaggart, who had already been in action just two nights earlier at the JPMorgan Challenge, blasting round the 3.5-mile course in a rapid 18:30. Tag has enjoyed an outstanding year already, finishing runner-up to Charlie Collins at the Bournemouth Bay Half Marathon in 1:12:35 before improving further with a superb 1:09 at Fleet Half Marathon. He also dipped under the magical two-and-a-half-hour barrier at the London Marathon, so it was no surprise to see him arrive as one of the pre-race favourites.

Rob McTaggart led the charge for the yellow and blues

Louisa Rowland was another athlete in sparkling form. Two marathon performances under three hours this year had firmly established her credentials, beginning with a 2:59 in Barcelona before she produced an even more impressive 2:55:46 at London.

Katie Gunn and Louise Rowland

Jack Barwick

Jack Barwick and Katie Gunn were fresh from representing Bournemouth AC at the Alresford 10k, the penultimate fixture in the Hampshire Road Race League. Jack had a five-mile best of 29:55 from Overton last September, while Katie’s PB of 31:05 came at the May 5 last year.

Ellie Taylor

Tom Sclanders

One of the club’s brightest young talents, Ellie Taylor, was also in the field. After setting the fastest female time at the Run Bournemouth Supernova 5k last autumn, she had already shown she was more than capable of mixing it with much more experienced athletes.

Helen Beddoe

David Crowther

Tom Sclanders, Helen Beddoe, David Crowther, Clint Taylor, Jud Kirk, Janine Pattison and the evergreen Ian Graham all added strength and experience to the Bournemouth AC contingent, while Lara Hudson was making her debut in yellow and blue and was hoping to complete the course somewhere between 35 and 40 minutes.

Clint Taylor

Jud Kirk

In an ideal world the runners would have been hoping for calm conditions or perhaps even the rare easterly breeze. Instead they were greeted by a fairly brisk westerly, which could only mean one thing – a helpful push on the way out and a much tougher battle on the return journey.

Janine Pattison

Craig Palmer

The evening also produced a surprise appearance from Bournemouth AC legend Craig Palmer.

Rob McTaggart

Craig Palmer

Craig was one of the area’s dominant road runners during his peak years, winning numerous local league races in 2019 and producing a phenomenal 2:24 marathon in Berlin. Although he had stepped away from competitive running and never quite rediscovered that level, it was fantastic to see him back on a start line. Could the SOBO 5 be the beginning of another comeback?

Rob McTaggart

Tag Takes Control

Rob McTaggart

Rob McTaggart knew the return journey into the wind would make life uncomfortable, so rather than leave himself vulnerable to a tactical battle later on, he opted to make the race his own from the gun.

Rob McTaggart

Craig Palmer

Exploding away at sub-five-minute-mile pace, only Craig Palmer was brave enough to go with him initially, although even he couldn’t live with the relentless early tempo.

Tag won the race in 27:22

The opening mile took runners from SOBO Beach Bar towards Hengistbury Head before climbing the short ramp and continuing alongside the headland onto Broadway.

Tag covered it in an impressive 5:08 and already had daylight between himself and the chasing pack.

Craig passed the marker in 5:31, around 20 seconds adrift, while Jack Barwick settled nicely with a 5:38 opening mile.

Craig Palmer

Tag continued to extend his advantage during the second mile along the harbour path, clocking 5:16.

Jack Barwick

Craig recorded 5:43, with Jack remaining remarkably consistent on 5:40.

The third mile included the halfway turnaround and although the headwind was now looming, Tag was still flying, registering another excellent split of 5:22.

Craig reached halfway in 5:46 and Jack followed with a 5:44.

Then came the difficult bit.

Craig Palmer

Turning back towards Bournemouth, the runners immediately felt the full force of the westerly wind. Even Tag’s relentless pace finally began to ease as he posted a 5:38 fourth mile, underlining just how tough conditions had become.

Jack Barwick

Craig and Jack both dug deep to record matching 6:05 splits as the race entered its decisive stages.

Despite the headwind, Tag remained completely in control. A final mile of 5:41 brought him home in a superb winning time of 27:22, completing a dominant front-running performance.

Behind him, the battle for the remaining podium places took an unexpected twist.

Craig snatched second place in 29:12

Finn O’Mahoney appeared set to finish second but was struck by illness on the final promenade section, forcing him to stop after being sick. Sensing the opportunity, Craig Palmer moved back through into second place and crossed the line in 29:12.

Finn O’Mahoney

Jack Barwick

Considering how little competitive running he has done in recent years, it was a remarkable performance and a reminder of the class that once made him one of the South’s finest distance runners. Although Tag finally ended Craig’s remarkable 11-year unbeaten head-to-head record, it still felt like a hugely encouraging return.

Finn O’Mahoney was third in 29:27

Finn bravely recovered to claim third in 29:27.

Jack Barwick looked set for fourth before being caught late on by Littledown Harriers’ James Rogers, who edged ahead in the closing stages to finish fourth in 29:41. Jack was only ten seconds behind in an excellent 29:51 to secure fifth overall.

Jack Barwick came fifth in 29:51

Aaron Robertson has been training with Bournemouth AC

Will Vincent took sixth in 30:21, while Aaron Robertson, who has recently been training with Bournemouth AC, produced one of the performances of the evening. His time of 30:56 earned seventh place overall and even included a new 5k personal best within the race itself.

Aaron came seventh in 30:56

Louisa Rowland

Yellow and Blues Dominate the Women’s Race

Louisa was first female and 11th overall in 31:30

Just two days after a hen weekend, Louisa Rowland might have been forgiven for feeling slightly below her best.

Instead she produced another outstanding run.

Louisa crossed the line in 31:27, averaging 6:13 per mile to claim first female and finish an impressive 11th overall.

Katie Gunn

Katie was second female in 32:24

Katie Gunn backed that up perfectly, finishing second female in 32:24 for 13th overall.

Harry Rosa

Tom Sclanders

Aaron Robertson’s training partner Harry Rosa followed in 32:32 before Tom Sclanders led home the next Bournemouth AC contingent in 33:27.

Tom Sclanders

Tom came 22nd in 33:27

Ellie Taylor completed a Bournemouth AC clean sweep of the women’s podium, finishing third female in 34:07 while also taking first Under-18 honours.

Ellie Taylor

Ellie Taylor

Ellie was third female in 34:07

David Crowther and Helen Beddoe once again found themselves racing together, just as they had at the May 5 earlier in the year.

David Crowther

Helen Beddoe

David stopped the clock in 35:33 for 35th place, with Helen only 14 seconds behind in 35:47, earning sixth female overall and first place in the women’s 40-49 category.

David came 35th in 35:33

Helen Beddoe

Helen was first female in the 40 to 49 category

A Successful Debut

Several Bournemouth AC members came along purely to support, including Rich Brawn, Kitty Cook and Tom Casson, who stationed themselves near Hengistbury Head to cheer everyone on through the toughest section of the race.

Lara Hudson

Clint Taylor

Spotting Lara Hudson and Clint Taylor battling into the headwind, Rich jumped in for the final mile to provide a little shelter from the wind.

Rich Brawn helped shield Lara from the wind

Lara nears the finish

Lara had judged her effort brilliantly on her club debut and, despite having to dig deep over the closing stages, crossed the line in 35:57. Averaging 7:07 per mile, she finished as ninth female and comfortably inside her pre-race target.

Clint digs in on the home straight

Lara was 9th female in 35:57

Clint was just two seconds ahead in 35:55, placing 40th overall.

Clint came 40th in 35:55

Janine Pattison continued her excellent run of masters performances, finishing in 40:30 to claim second place in the women’s V60 category.

Janine Pattison was second in the female 60 to 69 category

Jud Kirk

Jud Kirk followed shortly afterwards in 40:36, while Bournemouth AC’s oldest competitor, Ian Graham, once again demonstrated incredible longevity by completing the course in 55:21, finishing fifth in the 70+ category at the age of 79.

Even people on bikes couldn’t keep up with Jud

Ian Graham

Ian Graham

Ian Graham

Ian Graham

It was also fantastic to see former Bournemouth AC runner Stu Glenister back racing after enduring an incredibly difficult period in his life. Seeing him healthy and enjoying racing again was undoubtedly one of the feel-good stories of the evening, and he marked his return with a solid 36:50 for 48th place.

Ian finished 5th in the 70+ category in 55:21

Stu Glenister

A total of 257 runners completed the inaugural SOBO 5 from a race capacity of 300, and afterwards competitors were able to relax together at SOBO Beach Bar, making the most of the half-price cocktails and the superb post-race atmosphere.

Stu Glenister got round in 36:50

Tag picks up his winning prize

Craig collects his prize for second place

Louisa Rowland picks up the prize for first female

When the prizes were handed out, Bournemouth AC had plenty to celebrate. Rob McTaggart and Louisa Rowland collected the individual victories, Ellie Taylor added the Under-18 honours, Helen Beddoe topped her age category and the Yellow Blues also secured both the men’s and women’s team prizes.

Jack Barlow collects his prize

Katie Gunn takes the prize for second female

Ellie Taylor collects her prize for third female

Jack got his proper photo in the end

For a first attempt, Littledown Harriers delivered an excellent event. Fast, friendly and brilliantly supported, the SOBO 5 has all the ingredients to become a firm favourite on the local racing calendar for years to come.

Helen Beddoe took the prize for first in the female 40 to 49 category

It was a splendid evening on the beach for Louisa

Nick Marshall wasn’t in a giant screw outfit this time

Bournemouth AC youngster Marvin Marshall also took part

It was thoroughly enjoyable evening for the BAC rabble

Dave Newman (left) was ready to get down to business at the JPMorganChase Challenge

Bournemouth AC’s two leading distance men, Rob McTaggart and Dave Newman, took on one of the strongest fields of the summer when they competed in the prestigious JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge in Battersea Park.

The Corporate Challenge is far more than just another midweek race. The global series spans 16 locations across six continents, bringing together more than 150,000 runners representing companies from around the world. While the emphasis is on corporate participation and camaraderie, the sharp end of the field is stacked with athletes of national and international calibre.

The smart money was on Rob McTaggart to be the top contender for Nationwide Building Society

The London leg was staged over two evenings on a 3.5-mile multi-terrain course in Battersea Park rather than the lightning-fast circuit familiar to runners from the Podium 5k series. With more than 20,000 competitors spread across the Wednesday and Thursday races, it provided a spectacular backdrop for some outstanding performances.

Wednesday evening saw Rob McTaggart line up in Nationwide Building Society colours. Tag has enjoyed another excellent campaign, finishing runner-up behind Poole AC’s Charlie Collins at the Bournemouth Bay Half Marathon in 1:12:35 before dipping under the 70-minute barrier with a superb 1:09 at Fleet and later clocking 2:29:38 in the London Marathon.

The competition was in safe hands with Dave Seaman (right) starting proceedings

His preparations, however, could hardly have been less than ideal after being struck down by illness the night before the race. Lesser athletes might have called it a day, but Tag dug deep and still produced a performance of real quality.

Opening with a spirited 5:07 first mile, he followed that with splits of 5:16 and 5:23 before finding another gear over the closing half mile, covering it at 5:07 pace to stop the clock at an impressive 18:30.

The start of the race on Day 2 of the event

The following evening it was the turn of Dave Newman, representing JPMorganChase. Newman has also been enjoying a tremendous season, winning the Weymouth Half Marathon in March in 1:12 before producing an outstanding 2:28:51 to finish 157th overall at the London Marathon.

Dave wasted no time asserting himself, flying through the opening mile in 4:59 before maintaining the pressure with a 5:03 second mile. A 5:18 third split set up a determined finish, and he closed the final half mile at 5:15 pace to record 18:09, averaging a blistering 5:07 per mile and securing a place in the top ten on his night.

The athletes exchanged corporate suits for lycra

When the results from both evenings were combined, Dave finished an outstanding 20th overall, while Tag claimed 34th from a staggering field of 20,626 runners.

The scale of the event becomes even clearer when the worldwide rankings are considered. Across all 16 host cities and 154,355 competitors, Dave finished 80th globally, with McTaggart an equally impressive 126th.

Dave Newman was third fastest for JPMorganChase

The London event also attracted a host of familiar names from the local racing scene. Poole AC’s Mark Ruby produced a magnificent 16:55 to top the London standings and finish fifth in the worldwide rankings. Jonathan Coates, representing JPMorganChase, was second in London with 16:59 to rank tenth globally, while Kurt Taylor of Petauri completed the London podium in exactly 17:00, placing 11th worldwide.

Despite being sick the night before, Tag delivered a strong performance

Another familiar face, Hercules Wimbledon’s Fred Slemeck – well known to Hampshire runners through his victories at the Alresford 10k – clocked 17:41 to finish 12th in London and 33rd in the global standings.

Mark Ruby recorded the fastest time at the London event

At the head of the worldwide leaderboard, Moges Dargie Mengesha dominated the Frankfurt race in 16:06. Fellow Frankfurt competitor Yihun Gezahign Fantahun followed just one second behind in 16:07, with Samuel Blake also racing in Frankfurt taking third in 16:21. Olympic 1500m champion Matthew Centrowitz, competing in Chicago, recorded a 16:51 to place fourth overall.

The winners collect their medals and get a photo with Dave Seaman

Against a field packed with elite club runners and international-standard athletes, Dave Newman and Tag once again demonstrated that Bournemouth AC continues to boast two of the finest endurance performers currently racing on the domestic circuit.

Jason Christian was tackling one of his most brutal challenges yet in the shape of the Giants Head Half Marathon

Fresh from his encouraging return to racing at the Lymington Lifeboat 10K, where his comeback gathered further momentum, Jason Christian took on one of the South West’s toughest trail races by lining up in the Giants Head Half Marathon.

Based in the picturesque Dorset village of Sydling St Nicholas, the Giants Head event has earned a formidable reputation among trail runners. The half marathon is anything but a conventional 13.1-mile race, taking competitors deep into the rolling chalk downland of the Dorset countryside, across ancient ridgeways, farmland and woodland tracks before returning to the showground beneath the famous chalk Giant’s Head hillside figure.

There was a huge amount of elevation on the route

The route serves up relentless climbing and technical descents, with steep grass slopes, loose chalk tracks and uneven trails demanding concentration as well as endurance. Although advertised as a half marathon, Jason’s GPS watch measured 14.4 miles, while recording almost 2,000ft (610m) of elevation gain, underlining just how demanding the course really is.

Having shown promising signs of returning to form at Lymington, Jason produced another determined performance to negotiate the testing terrain, crossing the finish line in 2:34:11.

Jason nears the finish of his epic adventure

His run earned 75th place overall from a field of 234 finishers and, more significantly, third place in the MV50 category, a fine reward on one of the region’s most challenging trail courses.

The race was won by Alan Jones in 1:53:14, with John Pickford second in 2:00:41 and Liam Farrell completing the podium in 2:01:31. The women’s race was headed by Hannah Howard in 2:17:05, with Emily Kendall coming in as second female who in 2:19:07. They were 11th and 12th overall, with Gemma Russhard finished third female and 19th overall in 2:28:16.

Jason went over the line in 2 hours 34 minutes

Jason’s performance continues the encouraging progress shown recently. Having returned to racing at the Lymington Lifeboat 10K following a lengthy spell away from competition, he has quickly demonstrated that both his endurance and climbing strength remain firmly intact. Tackling a course as demanding as Giants Head is a significant step beyond a road 10K, making his podium finish in the MV50 category all the more satisfying.

It was a run where Jason certainly had to earn his bling

The Giants Head weekend actually began 24 hours earlier, with the event’s equally demanding marathon and popular 10K taking place on Saturday. Both races attracted strong fields of trail runners from across the South and South West, with competitors facing the same spectacular Dorset scenery, rolling hills and notoriously energy-sapping chalk climbs that have become synonymous with the Giants Head event.

Jason finished 3rd in the MV50 category

The marathon once again lived up to its reputation as one of the UK’s toughest off-road marathons, while the shorter 10K offered an equally challenging introduction to trail running, packing plenty of climbing into a relatively short distance.

Marcus Biles won the marathon in 3:24:30, with Paul Russhard taking second in 3:29:23 and Michael Harrington third in 3:34:20. Abigail Jones was first female and 7th overall in exactly 3 hours 54 minutes.

Jason steps into the role of the Cerne Abbas Giant

Daniel O’Boyle won the 10k in 42:28, with Ryan Johnstone taking second in 43:37 and Adam Wollard third in 46:29. Freya Sutcliffe was first female and 14th overall in 55:45.

For Jason, however, the weekend belonged to another important milestone in his comeback. From the fast roads of Lymington to the unforgiving hills above Sydling St Nicholas, his recent performances suggest his return to competitive racing is gathering pace, with a third-place MV50 finish at Giants Head providing further encouragement for the remainder of the summer season.