Chedworth Roman Trail
Sunday saw the next instalment in the RSE Championship: a beautiful, but challenging, 10(ish!) mile multi-terrain race in the heart of the Cotswolds. Starting from Chedworth Village Hall and running over tracks and woodland paths through the Stowell Park Estate and close to Chedworth Roman Villa. Luckily there was lots of cake at the end to reward runners after completing the hills and river crossing!
Well done to Ollie Hazel who was first home for the club in a super time of 1:14:34. He was followed by Ben Chapman in 1:27:41; Nadine Brown 1:28:53; Sharon Smith 1:30:30 (1st LV60); Kirsty Pitts 1:36:07; Rochelle Ravenscroft 1:36:44; Rebecca Hodgetts 1:39:08; Jo Beames 1:39:18; Kevin Joynes-Creed 1:41:57; Cheri Edwards 1:45:56; Lindsay Gregory 1:45:56; Istvan Vegh 1:45:58; Rich ‘Ryo’ Taylor 1:46:55; Sandie Wood 1:55:51; Richard Marshall 1:55:52; Kate Potter 2:03:05 (1st LV70+) and Kay Thompson 2:35:34.
Sharon Smith LV60 Winner 
Kate Potter LV70+ Winner
Many managed course PBs but a special well done to Sharon and Kate for coming first in their age categories. There was also a great deal of pure grit and determination on view, especially by those coming back from, or dealing with, injuries as well as the one recovering from a very recent marathon! Well done everyone.
Great Welsh Marathon
The Great Welsh Marathon and The Great Welsh Half Marathon also took place on Sunday 14th April. The race started and finished at Festival Fields in Llanelli, taking runners along the coast and through the magnificent Millennium Coastal Park. Advertised as a flat marathon with PB potential, the organisers didn’t mention how gusty the course could be, which our RSE members found out!
Well done to Andy Masser who completed the 26.2 miles in a new Personal Best of 3:26:12. Also big congratulations to Becca Wilson on her first marathon, who not only achieved a great time of 5:19:34 but also raised over £800 for Macmillan.
Bourne ‘Run in the Woods’ 10k
The ‘Run in the Woods’ is a picturesque route on hard tracks in the beautiful and historic Bourne Woods in Lincolnshire. Vicki Mason took part in the small, well organised and undulating trail run completing the 10k in 55:42. Well done Vicki.
The Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris
The Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris is now one of the biggest marathons in the world; as much for the size of its field as the performances of its runners. Nearly 145 nationalities and 55,000 runners come to tackle the 26.2 miles. The route across Paris, takes in the Champs Elysées, the Bois de Vincennes and Boulogne and offers an incomparable backdrop, with spectacular views and landmarks all along the route.
Three RSE members made the journey to Paris to take part in the prestigious event and each of them certainly reaped the rewards of successful training over recent months. Well done to Dave Witnall who took over 8 minutes off his previous PB finishing in 3:10:56; Dave Whitlow recorded a time of 3:35:47, taking 5 minutes off his York time last October and Ellie Taylor achieved a London ‘Good for Age’ time in 3:42:28, smashing her previous marathon PB by 22 minutes! Well done all.
parkrun
Swindon parkrun
Steve Sandercock 25:08
Caroline Sandercock 35:21
Cirencester parkrun
Ollie Hazel with his Mum 35:44
Celebrations…
We conclude the race report this week with some incredibly exciting news. After running over 26 miles Dave Witnall was still able to muster up not only the courage but energy and adrenaline required to get down on one knee and propose to the beautiful Ellie. She, of course, accepted and I know we all at RSE send them the biggest of congratulations. Lovely news 🙂