The last time TRC members flooded the banks of the Severn in large numbers was during last summer’s Mob Match with Chepstow, when the temperature was well above 30 degrees, and sunglasses, hats and ice-packs were the order of the day.

Last Thursday evening was just mizzly-drizzly, as it has been since, well, late 2022. Not an encouraging meteorological backdrop to the Club’s annual 10k Championships.

Despite suggesting that we just say Nick won, and head straight to the bar, the race did go ahead.  And the inauspicious cold and wet actually proved to be ideal racing conditions once the shock of stripping down to the club vest was overcome.  Some of the times recorded were exceptional, and a few club members even recorded 10k PBs which is a marvellous achievement on that course.

We ran the new Thornbury 10k route in reverse – starting with the ‘pan flat’ sections around Oldbury Naite, before heading down Kington Lane, turning right and continuing the undulating loop round towards the imaginatively named Cow Hill – (‘say what you see’). Any runner who had overcooked it by this point then faced a gruelling final mile.  The climb into Cow Hill is bad enough, but we then had to negotiate the final hill up to St Arilda’s church.  She has been a welcoming sight for ascending worshippers for over 700 years, but last Thursday doubled as the dispiritingly distant – yet highly visible – 6-mile marker. If the lungs were not bust by that point, the quads would be on the final 400 metre sprint down the other side of the hill before collapsing into the hopsy, malty embrace of the Anchor pub at the finish line. 

We must  give a huge thank you to the marshals who not only forewent their chance to run, but also stood still in the cold and rain for well over an hour.  It is hugely appreciated by all those who compete.  I never have enough breath to offer a breezy ‘thank you marshal’ as I run by, so I’ll put my gratitude in writing instead.

The race was a straight shootout – no age-graded adjustments on this occasion.  However, before we come to the winners, a special mention to those TRC members who ran a PB on this testing course.  Yes, conditions were good, but to get a PB on that route suggests some of us are in very fine form indeed.   Congratulations, therefore, to Chris Pritchard and Liz Ball for their lifetime best 10ks.

The women’s race looked very close on paper, and it was surprising and impressive in equal measure to see the club’s London Marathon record holder, Jessica Heffer, line up just four days after her stunning run in the capital.  Yet a quick massage, and a spincycle (on a bike, not a washing machine) seemed to have done the trick. She was the clear winner in a fantastic time of 41 minutes and 16 seconds.  Last year’s winner, Ali Vaz, had to settle for second, in a still excellent time of 43:27, with Hannah Hamilton in third in 44:59.  Melanie Wilson and Megan Harrison completed a high-quality top five.

Nick Williams did lead from start to finish, but there was a lot more drama in the men’s race than might have been expected.  Nick ran an incredible time of 35 minutes and 45 seconds, which is precisely the same time as he managed just over a year ago when the course was run in reverse. How’s that for consistency?!

Nick would possibly have been surprised to have been pushed quite so hard by Ben Bohane.  Fresh from his triumphant PB at the Newport Marathon, Ben showed what good form he is in by working his way through the field to finish second in 36:24.  Andy Wilson had an excellent tune-up for the Bristol Half with a fine third place in 37:08.  Peter Cable ran a strong final mile to overhaul Sean Leadbetter as the two finished fourth and fifth respectively.  We must also mention new-ish member Mark Hanson who came sixth in the excellent time of 38:53.