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.

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.

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.