Author Archives: Ellie Taylor

Frampton 10k

This flat, fast course is a favourite amongst runners in the Cotswolds – so much so that places are like gold dust! Starting in the picturesque village of Frampton-Upon-Severn, the route follows countryside paths past the river Severn. RSE member, David Witnall, managed to nab a place for the 2020 race, which was then deferred to 2021.

It was good to back in what felt like a normal race. It was good to use the race as a benchmark run before marathon training begins. I went out comfortably and was happy to get a negative split.

David Witnall

Congratulations to Dave, who finished in a speedy time of 40:23, a personal course record!

Cotswold Way Relay

The Cotswold Way Relay is now in its 31st year and is a challenge that Running Somewhere Else take on annually. Covering all 103 miles of the Cotswold Way, clubs are invited to work as a team to complete the distance. The legs vary in distance (from 7.3 miles to 12.8 miles) and elevation, but none could be considered ‘easy’. This year, RSE members had to sweet-talk club captain, Elaine Chapman, to guarantee one of the ‘good’ legs.

Running Somewhere Else entered one mixed team this year with five men and five ladies taking on the challenging hills in the mixed ‘summer’ weather. Everyone ran really strongly and Sharon was even rewarded with a bottle of wine at the end of her leg for finishing 30 minutes ahead of the cut off and first in her age group!

Many congratulations to Emma Thomas (Leg 1), Teresa Hazelwood (Leg 2), Amanda McIlroy (Leg 3), Sarah Reynolds (Leg 4), Andy Poole (Leg 5), Martin Sherriff (Leg 6), David Whitlow (Leg 7), Mark Garrett (Leg 8), Sharon Smith (Leg 9) and Steve Sandercock (Leg 10).

The Running Somewhere Else team finished in an (unofficial) combined team time of 24 hours 48 minutes!

Hope 24

Another club favourite is Hope 24, a 24 hour running event in the heart of Plympton. Runners can compete in pairs, small groups (up to 5) or large groups (up to 8), and some intrepid challengers take on the event solo! This year, Hope 24 was back on site, its 5 mile course running through woodland, past a river and sheep, and up a lot of hills.

RSE members were out in force this year, with 2 large teams, 1 small team, 3 solo runners, a long-distance walker and 4 Hope trail kids! Starting at 12pm on Saturday and finishing 12pm on the Sunday, the participants faced muggy heat, sunshine, torrential rain and a path turned to a river! Despite the challenging weather and the course closing at 10:30am due to adverse conditions, club members produced some fantastic results.

Solo Runners/Walkers:

• Kevin Joynes-Creed – 60 miles (12 laps)
• Cathy Steer – 20 miles (4 laps)
• Ellie Taylor – 55 miles (11 laps)
• Ryo Taylor – 20 miles (4 laps)

RSE’s first ever small team:

• Team Chapman – 75 miles (15 laps)
  • Ben Chapman – 30 miles (6 laps)
  • Elaine Chapman – 45 miles (9 laps)

Large teams:

• Team 1 – A combined effort of 140 miles (28 laps) – 2nd in the large team relay!
  • Well done to Rob Brown, David Witnall, Nadine Brown, Gareth Roberts, Sarah Hancock, Carol Sworn and Sarah Page!
• Team 2 – A combined effort of 100 miles (20 laps)!
  • Well done to Pauline Tilbury, Richard Marshall, Paul Coates, Caroline Coates, Linda Edwards, Caroline Joynes-Creed, Darren Jenner and Felicity Crotty!

A huge well done also to our mini runners Eden Brown, Rory Brown, Matthew Chapman and Daniel Chapman!

Upcoming Club Social Alert

Sunday 25th July

Away Day Run and Picnic

Join RSE from 12 midday for an away day social.

The run is optional (6 miles trail). Friends and family are welcome!

Save the date! Full details are to follow very soon.

Chippenham Longest Day 10k

As most of us are wondering how it’s half way through the year already, some RSE club members took the opportunity to celebrate with a race. Starting and finishing in Monkton Park, the Chippenham Longest Day 10k follows a mainly flat course around quiet country lanes, and includes a few trail sections too.

• Rosie Oates – 43:15 – 3rd lady overall and 2nd in category!
• Sharon Smith – 48:13 – 1st V70!
• Zoe Markham-Lee – 60:43
• Pauline Tilbury – 61:19

This was a lovely route half trails and half quiet roads starting and finishing in a park. The atmosphere was brilliant with encouraging Marshalls and the odd little crowd cheering on from the side which was so nice to have again!

Rosie Oates

A lovely course. DB Max are so friendly and enthusiastic!

Sharon Smith

Well done to everyone from Team RSE who took part!

Cotswold Way Ultra Challenge

This 2 day event starts and finishes at the Cirencester Agricultural college, with a route spanning 100km. The challenge takes runners across Cotswold trail paths and up undulating climbs to Wotton, where they can camp for the night, before heading back to the base camp in Cirencester.

RSE member Mark Manley set his sights on the 2 day event. Here’s his fantastic results:

• Day 1 – 53/100km in 7:04hours – 5300 ft elevation (1000 more than Ben Nevis!)
• Day 2 – 47/100km in 6:22hours – 2400 elevation

Congratulations to Mark who finished second place in the 2 day event!

Very good event but Covid makes it a little surreal
I don’t like hills!

Mark Manley

Fairford 10k Time Trial

Organised as an RSE exclusive event, this was a chance for members to run our club race course, Fairford 10k. Following the country paths around Fairford, the route is described on race profiles as ‘undulating’ (there’s hills!), as it crosses through to Quennington and back.

Many club members took on the event, with a view to testing their 10k times, entering the 1st race of the club championship, and also to enjoy a run with fellow club runners!

• Tom Razazan – 41:31 – 1st M (Happy Birthday, Tom!)
• Rosie Oates – 44:43 – 1st F and second race of the week!
• Mark Garrett – 46:03
• Ellie Taylor – 47:56
• Sharon Smith – 48:36 – 2nd race of the week!
• Darren Jenner – 49:56
• Steve Sandercock – 51:24
• Lesley Hinsley – 51:45
• Anne Gardiner – 54:42
• Zan Futter – 55:47
• Pauline Tilbury – 60:12 – 2nd race of the week!
• Felicity Crotty – 61:27

A huge thank you to club captains Elaine Chapman and David Witnall for organising the event! And to all those who volunteered to marshal and cheer runners on – Ollie, Sarah, Jenny, Daniel, Nadine, Rory and Eden!

July bookings for Monday Night runs are now available on RunTogether!

Cotswold Lake 62 Evening Series – Event 2

Well done to Libby Butler and Sarah Reynolds for completing Triathlon Event 2 in the Lake 62 Evening Series this week! The 2nd event of 4 was held on the same course, making it ideal for those trying to improve times (although the incredibly hot weather was a challenge in itself!). The course included a 4.5k run, 16k cycle and 400m swim in the picturesque Cotswold Waterpark.

Congratulations to Libby who set a fantastic time of 1:09:51, smashing a PB and taking 7 minutes 20 second off her previous time!

And a huge well done to Sarah who completed the event in a brilliant time of 1:07:11!

I am so happy, training is definitely paying off as it was a skins swim too!

Libby Butler

Hampshire Hoppit Marathon

This hilly trail marathon starts and finishes at Kingsclere, just outside Basingstoke. The route sends runners across country, taking in views from the highest points in Hampshire. The uniquely named run takes its title from the pint of ‘Hoppit’ that the finishers receive, alongside an engraved beer glass!

A massive well done to Andy Sworn for completing the challenge! (Official times are yet to be released).

Tough, hilly, but great fun. The pint at the end (half marathon runners got a half) made it all worth it!

Andy Sworn

Get to know the club – Runner’s Profile

Tracey Pitts

When did you start running and why? 

I started running about 15 years ago. I was always going to the gym in my spare time and got bored with it but didn’t want to not do anything so this was an obvious choice.

When did you join RSE?

My friend Deb Barry (who I still love to run with to this day) was a member of RSE and she got me to go to a session although I’d not really done much running. At the time Ollie Wakefield was coach. We met outside the leisure centre and our destination was Love Lane hill efforts. We ran up Tetbury Hill, I got to the park gates halfway up and had to stop. Although there weren’t many runners at the time and he was the only coach Ollie stayed with me and got me to Love Lane. It’s funny the things you remember but I’ll always be grateful for that which is why I think now I always try to make sure no-one is left behind.

What motivates you to run?

I guess its Health and wellbeing. There’s nothing like the feeling you get after having done a run. I could start out thinking this is hard work but the feeling at the end is well worth it. The one thing that makes me happy is to go for a run with my friends and a coffee/breakfast after. We have so many beautiful trails around us and if I hadn’t started running I would have never found these on my doorstep. I think the girls will tell you that every time we’re out for a run I say “how lucky are we” 

Proudest running achievement?

There are a lot to choose from but I would have to say my first London Marathon. Who would have thought from that first club run to running a marathon ! I cried when I crossed the line (I get emotional now just writing about it).

Favourite thing about RSE?

For me its the support from all the coaches, fellow runners and Sampo at Somewhere Else. I’ve made so many friends since I joined all those years ago. Friends who I love and treasure (you know who you are)  and will be in my life forever and thats what its all about for me which is why I’ve chosen this photograph of the RSE 10th anniversary party.

Cheltenham Running Festival

Held at the Cheltenham race course, the festival includes running distances from 5k to half marathon around the famous track, with stunning views of the Cotswold countryside. Listed as a multi-terrain course, runners could choose from 1 lap, 2 laps or 4 laps of the track. It was a very hot day to be taking on any races, but that did not deter Running Somewhere Else club members, as many took to the challenge.

5k

1 lap = 5k

Well done to Tom Razazan who finished in a fantastic time of 20:07, and second in the V35 category!

It was pretty tough due to the heat and the course was twisty with loads of half and 10k runners to lap! Not one for a PB. Despite that the views were great and the atmosphere was good.

Tom Razazan

10k

2 laps = 10k

Taking on the 10k was Pauline Tilbury, who finished in a brilliant time of 1:10:33!

[It was] 2 laps of the picturesque racecourse (without the jumps!) .It really was too hot for me and I struggled in the last 2ks. A very well organised event though and hats off to all have have run in the heat this weekend!

Pauline Tilbury

Half Marathon

4 laps = half marathon

Congratulations to Sarah Hancock, Zoe Markham-Lee and Jo Beames who completed 4 laps of the course (and had to watch the 5k and 10k runners finish their races!).

• Sarah Hancock – 2:03:29 (3rd V35!)
• Zoe Markham-Lee – 2:19:26
• Jo Beames (supporting her daughter for a birthday 1st half marathon! 🥳) – 2:35:45

Slightly undulating, and above all, bloody hot! I now have stupid tan lines… Nice views of the hills around though and blue skies.

Zoe Markham-Lee

Get to Know the Club – Runner’s Profile

Tom Razazan

When did you start running and why?
I first started running as a teenager and enjoyed representing my school in cross county. Living in rural Somerset meant there were plenty of quiet lanes to run on (and not much else to do a lot of the time!). I ran on and off throughout my 20s but over the last 4/5 years I’ve been doing it much more regularly as my main form of exercise.

When did you join RSE?
I joined in May 2019. I was keen to meet new people, challenge myself and improve my running. The club has certainly helped me do all three.

What motivates you to run?
Quite a few reasons. Initially it was primarily for fitness however more recently I’ve also really come to value the well-being benefits it brings and the chance to clear your head and just switch off. Having a race in the diary is also a great target and can make the difference between deciding whether or not to head out for that run at the end of a very long day or indeed holding off the beers the night before a weekend long run!

Proudest achievement?
The Hullavington 10 race in Dec-20. It was my first race since the pandemic started and during this time I had really upped my training volume, intensity and consistency. It was one of those races where everything clicked and I felt great.

Favourite RSE moment?
My favourite is probably the Chilly 10K in Feb-20 when I was part of the RSE men’s team which came 1st club overall. It was great to be part of this. There’s also been countless Mon and Wed club runs which I’ve really enjoyed, such as taking in the views on the Polo fields loop on a sunny summer’s evening or working hard in an efforts session in the Abbey Grounds.

RSE Club AGM 2021!

RSE’s club AGM took place on Thursday 10th June, with a great turnout of club members joining via Zoom. The AGM is a chance for club members to hear an update on all things club related, including plans in motion and finances; elect a new committee; and ask questions and voice opinions on club matters. The evening went seamlessly, with presentations from Pauline Tilbury, Nadine Brown, Sarah Reynolds, Caroline Joynes-Creed and Martin Sheriff.

The committee also said goodbye to one member this year, Caroline Joynes-Creed. Thank you for all your hard work organising charity fundraisers for the club!

A Word from the Chair, Pauline Tilbury:

A big thank you to Vice Chair Nadine for her input to the AGM and her ongoing support in all club matters.

And a big thank you also to Club Secretary Sarah for managing all required formalities for this year’s AGM.

We would also like to thank Pauline for helping deliver a successful AGM evening!

In case you missed it, here’s a list of the RSE committee members elected for 2021/2022:

For a full overview of the points discussed at the AGM, please read a copy of the meeting minutes, found here.