There was plenty of activity this weekend with a well-attended Christmas 10k, BAC wins at the Dorset County Cross Country Championships (David Long) and the Bovington Marathon (Jez Bragg), but perhaps with Damian Boyle outshining everyone in a mountainous 100k trail race starting and finishing in Cape Town, South Africa.

20 BAC athletes competed in the Christmas 10k on Sunday 11 December, organised by Chris Potter and Christchurch Runners, who were able to put on an excellent and ever-popular race despite not having the usual facilities and start/finish area available to them.  Many of the prizes went to BAC‘s athletes, including Rob McTaggart, 2nd overall, Sanjai Sharma, 1st V55, Graeme Miller, 2nd V45, Emma Dews, 2nd Lady overall and Yvonne Tibble, 1st FV55.  One week ago, Yvonne ran the Blandford ParkRun in 20.30, giving her an age-graded result of 90.73%, which was something like the fifth highest age grading IN THE COUNTRY, and Yvonne‘s run was the fastest in all ParkRuns in the country in her age category!  Yvonne‘s time in the Christmas 10k consolidates her position at the top of the club 10k Championship table – Yvonne also currently tops the 10 mile table!  BAC‘s ladies team consisting of Emma, Yvonne and Joy Wright won the prizes as first ladies’ team in the race.  Results (BAC): 2. Rob McTaggart 33.19;  9. Billy McGreevy 35.57;  12. Sanjai Sharma 36.16;  16. Tom Paskins 36.29;  33. Graeme Miller 37.59;  40. Emma Dews 38.34;  44. Chris O’Brien 39.08;  47. Adrian Townsend 39.32;  48. Ross Blakemore 39.33;  49. Simon Hearn 40.44;  67. Richard Brawn 40.44;  69. Jud Kirk 40.53;  70. Steve Cox 41.16;  81. Simon Hunt 41.51;  88. Tony Hunt 42.05;  94. Yvonne Tibble 42.34;  100. Joy Wright 43.27;  193. Daniel Gilbert 49.58;  287. Joe Price 55.56;  321. Will Price 58.11.  There were 487 finishers.

Taking place at the same time, unfortunately, was the final Wessex Cross League fixture of the season, which also doubled as the Dorset Cross Country Championship, at Bryanston School.  The results aren’t yet available, but we know from a video posted on Facebook by Brandon Meredith that David Long managed to hold off Jamie Grose to win the Championship, and that Marcus O’Toole and Brandon himself were also competing, and that Brandon was 13th overall in the SM/U20M race, and was 6th U20.  It’s believed that the some or all of the Sandell family were also competing at Bryanston, but there will be a further report after the full results have become available.

Further west in Dorset, also taking place at the same time, was the Bovington Marathon, an off road event starting and finishing at the Bovington Tank Museum.  Full results aren’t available, but we do know that Jez Bragg tanked round the course to win in a time of 3.08.21.  Andy Gillespie was also competing, and finished “hard on Jez‘s heels”, 89th in 4.24.4.  Andy describes the course as “a bit muddy in places, but 90% gravel trails and woodland paths”.  According to the website the distance is 26.2 (ish) miles.

Further afield, Damian Boyle was tackling the 100k Ultra Trail Cape Town, starting and finishing in Cape Town, and taking in Table Mountain and two other mountains (14500′).  Of the 64 finishers, Damian was 16th, and 3rd Vet, in a time of 13 hrs 57 mins and 31 secs.  This is the longest race in which Damian has competed, and he describes it as “an incredible race in most spectacular surroundings”, and a race which can be recommended to all our Ultra runners.

A couple of the views enjoyed by Damian……………