HEADLINES

• storming start to Oxford League season by both men & women
• 51 runners turn out for Cirencester in first fixture
• marathon reports from Rupert Chesmore & Chris Goldie
• county age group win for David Wright

 CROSS COUNTRY RESULTS

21 October, UK Cross Challenge at Senneleys Park , Birmingham . Wendy Jones carried on her good work on the roads with this excellent run over 6k in the first of the winter’s UK Cross Challenge events which are designed to attract the top runners in the UK . This particular event was run in conjunction with the Birmingham League, hence the large number of finishers. Jones was particularly pleased to beat two of her conquerors from the previous week’s national road relays and she was only two seconds behind Hatti Dean, winner of this year’s inter-counties championship.

1 Hayley Yelling ( Windsor , Slough , Eton & Hounslow) 22.22

5 Wendy Jones (Cirencester, 1st FV35) 23.06. 212 finished

5 November, Oxford League at Ascott-u-Wychwood. The club’s esteemed captain, Pancho Gonzalez-Diaz, reports on the first league race of the winter [to understand some of the references come for a drink on a Tuesday evening after training]:

“Dear Ciren Athletes (I am a very generous person when there is not chips involved). To describe the performance of the club in the cross-country I will use Tony’s words: “Brilliant” “well done”. It was very good to see loads of Ciren runners enjoying the Oxfordshire countryside and performing at their best. There were so many good performances that it is impossible to mention all of them, but I would like to point out that both ladies and men had more than three teams scoring for the club. As usual, the ladies finished 1st overall, and the men had what probably was their best performance in many many years, finishing 2nd and with only 161 points. I also would like to highlight the finishing sprint of Adrian Williams, overtaking runners up the last millimetres of the course, showing total commitment for the cause. It was so good that I had to pay him a pint of beer the following Tuesday. Following the same idea, many members of the club think that Chris “happy father” Riches should pay to all of us a drink next Tuesday. My advice to Chris is: next time you can race without your green Wellington boots.… It was a brilliant start of the season and for next fixture I know it will get even better……. By the way, did everyone see Wrighty on the XC? For all of you who didn’t run, I will be your worst nightmare …… Thank you very much”

U11 Boys: 5 Cameron Wassell 3.50, 6 Lewis Wassell 3.56, 15 Alex Vass 4.10.

U11 Girls: 13 Jenny Eales 4.18, 23 Hannah Tapley 4.39, 31 Jodie Hatton 4.58, 34 Maddie Stephens 5.17.

U13 Boys: 18 Elliot Manners 8.14, 27 Zands Rausch 9.02.

U13/U15 Girls (U13 unless stated): 32 Lucy Vass 8.48, 35 Alice Thomas (U15) 8.51, 39 Laura Eales 9.02, 40 Daisy Savage 9.04, 41 Tiphanie Hatton (U15) 9.06.

U15/U17 Boys: 20 Ben Cox (10th U15) 19.47, 46 Dominic Clark (U15) 24.32.

Ladies:

1 Wendy Jones (Cirencester) 17.51

3 Ellen Leggate 18.57

33 Sue McKeeman 23.36

50 Kim Withycombe 24.11

51 Jenny Manners (3rd U20) 24.17

63 Corinne Clark 25.08

69 Sue Brown 25.17

71 Jane Thomas 25.30

86 Chloe Cox 26.45

100 Paula Vass 27.43

116 Lynn Ferris 29.35. 138 finished.

Teams (3 to score): Div One; 1 Cirencester 37pts, 2 Team Kennet 41pts, 3 Oxford City 45pts. Div Two; 1 Newbury ‘A’ 45pts, 9 Cirencester ‘B’ 164pts, 18 Cirencester ‘C’ 226pts, 31 Cirencester ‘D’ 355pts. 35 teams closed in (43 incl 1st division).

Men:

1 Steve Kimber (Headington) 30.38

2 Chris Illman (Cirencester, 1st U20) 30.50

4 Pancho Gonzalez-Diaz 31.42

14 Jon Norris (3rd U20) 32.44

27 Andy Bickerstaff 34.08

30 Adrian Williams 34.18

32 Bill Leggate 34.24

52 Paul Barlow 35.37

58 Marc Fallows 35.52

83 James Rumsey 36.59

92 Keith Firkin 37.16

99 Dorian Matts 37.39

113 Bryan Reid 38.22

137 Niel Dunnage 39.23

145 Stephen Elverd 39.50

154 Bob Ferris 40.23

171 Chris Brough 41.10

195 Chris Sherrington 42.25

214 Chris Riches 43.18

217 Tim Willson 43.33

244 Darren Shepherd 46.21

255 David Long 48.24

269 Brian Barrowclough 51.01

278 Mike Thomas 58.41

280 Clive Hook 64.21. 280 finished.

Teams (7 to score): Div One; 1 Headington 98pts, 2 Cirencester 161pts, 3 Witney 226pts. Div Two; 1 Witney ‘B’ 485pts, 4 Cirencester ‘B’ 727pts. Div Three; 1 Hook Norton 348pts, 15 Cirencester ‘C’ 1,450pts. 23 teams closed in (38 incl divisions 1 & 2).

Full results can be found on the league’s excellent new website www.oxonxc.org

CROSS COUNTRY FIXTURES (Sunday unless stated)

18 November (Sat), Glos League at Pittville Park, Cheltenham www.glosaaa.org.uk

3 December, Oxford League at Culham Park , nr Abingdon. Following on from Pancho’s comments above, it is vital that the club maintains momentum in the league. The more that run the better to ensure that we can sustain as many teams finishing as in the first race. We particularly need as many ladies as possible to turn out again (turn out at the first race was the best ever). Although the ladies are leading it is very close at the top and we are unlikely to be able to call upon Ellen Leggate, who lives in Cambridge , too often. This is a new venue for the league. Culham Park is located off the A415 between Abingdon and Clifton Hampden. From Abingdon take the A415 east and turn left at the sign for Culham No. 1 site (this is the first turning before Culham Science park). There is a £1 car park charge. Alternatively meet at the leisure centre at 09:30 for a convoy to the race. The women start at 11:10 and the men at 11:40 . There is a course map as well as some photographs of what looks to be a very ‘interesting’ course (!) on the website www.oxonxc.org

9 December (Sat), Glos League at Plock Court , Gloucester www.glosaaa.org.uk

31 December, Oxford League at Radley College www.oxonxc.org

6 January 2007 (Sat), Glos County Championships , Blackbridge, Gloucester . Full details will shortly be published on www.glosaaa.org.uk . With the success that the club has achieved in recent times in the Oxford League, the County XC Champs should be an event at which individuals & the club excel. Thus a good turnout should ensure that runners taking part are fighting for places on the county team for the inter-counties race in February.

4 February, Oxford League at Cirencester Park

4 March, Oxford League at Drayton School , Banbury

ROAD / MULTI-TERRAIN RESULTS

29 October, Salisbury ½ Marathon Age group victory for Trudy Compton on a very hilly course.

1 Martin Lewis ( Poole ) 1.14.23

52 Terry Ranger (Cirencester) 1.36.33

88 Trudy Compton (1st FV35) 1.41.55. 369 finished. www.salisburyfirestation.info

29 October, Snowdon Marathon Report on probably the toughest marathon course in the UK from Rupert Chesmore:

“The Snowdon Marathon was characterised by experiences and observations that nearly exceeded all levels of mental capacity that the club's ultra runner has achieved. Wild goats, an Al-Qaeda terrorist cell on a field exercise and an alternative form of training to achieve high speeds on the down hill sections were just a few.

An obscenely early start and my son Dan and I arrived at Llanberis by 8am to collect microchips etc and then a 1½ mile walk to the start at the foot of the pass. Local wild and very hairy goats looked at us all as we assembled on the last piece of flat ground before the first big hill. Has anyone told them that the Dillon-look (of Magic Roundabout fame) is now out of fashion?  Sending Dan off on his bike 15 mins before the start he got to the top after four miles just as the leaders and a gaggle of Welsh TV crews crested the rise.

Yours truly arrived somewhat later to receive the first of many bottles of water from my one boy support team [ed: where were you when needed, Liza?]. Picking up the pace for the exhilarating run down to Beddgellert, nearly six miles, I was amazed to pass walking in the other direction a selection of gentlemen, politely described as "coming from the Indian sub-continent", heading towards the pass and ultimately Snowdon 's summit. Full beards, dark clothing, rucksacks .... very suspicious and was the helicopter overhead really filming the runners or something else?

Having gone down, invariably you go up again in typical Welsh style for a long drag to Waun fawr. Dan and a host of other support cars and bikes weaved in and out of the runners offering us all drinks and nibbles in every gateway before the infamous Wall at Waun fawr. Having run this event in 1999 and run every yard I knew what to expect. This time I chose to walk - and so did almost everyone else. 700 feet in two miles, those who did run were virtually jogging on the spot. The change of pace andgood long strides re-invigorated my legs and when we left the tarmac and onto the tracks the ultra runner took over and I kicked for home. You may have noticed my increasing waist-line, and this was a deliberate ploy to increase my body index for a gravity assisted descent to the finish. I overtook more than 20 runners on the final two miles which proves that being a racing whippet is not always the ideal shape (or it could have been the weekends of training on Exmoor ).

A final sting in the tail loop around the village and I went through the finish in 4.25, more than ½ hour faster than last time. The drive home took longer but both members of the team enjoyed themselves. Hats off to the 3-in-1 runners who were running Beachy Head - Snowdon – Dublin marathons in three days. Any takers for next year? Fat people need only apply!”

1 Dennis Walmsley (Bourton) 2.39.55 (chip time 2.39.53)

661 Rupert Chesmore (Cirencester) 4.26.14 (4.25.30). 1,046 finished.

31 October, Bridge Inn 5k , nr Bristol .

1 Phil Parry (Bristol & West) 15.48

20 Sian Monahan (Bristol & West, 1st lady / FV) 18.02

26 Jane Wassell (Cirencester, 3rd lady / 2nd FV) 18.15 – club FV40 record.

142 finished. www.bristolandwestac.org.uk

5 November, New York City Marathon , USA Chris Goldie took a large chunk off his best time and reports on his great experience: “ 2006 Noo Yoik Maraton – 5 boroughs and 5 bridges. The 2006 ING New York Marathon was run in perfect conditions. Sunny, cool, dry, windless and beautiful. The downside of a perfect “Fall” day for running was the chill before the start. The gathering area was well supplied with water, coffee, tea, bagels, donuts etc, but no warmth or shade. I was there for nearly four hours before the start, by which stage (despite my layers of old, chuckable, clothing) I was shivering violently. We were coralled according to predicted finish times, but the system broke down as soon as the gun fired. We climbed an embankment to the start point, and I started running less than two minutes after the official start.

The race starts at the toll booths for the Verrazano Narrows Bridge – the longest suspension bridge in North America , linking Staten Island to Brooklyn . The “Green Start” ran on the lower deck, which saved a bit of the climb. We came off the bridge into Brooklyn , where we began running through the different neighbourhoods. These maintain separate identities, but they also intermingle in the proverbial melting pot. So you run through areas where the shops have Scandanavian names, another place where they are Eastern European (and I'm sure they subdivide as well), as well as Irish, German and other cultures.

At around mile10, I reached Williamsburg , which is one of the world's largest Hasidic-Jewish enclaves. There was still cheering here, but less of it, and not from the men dressed traditionally. However, would they normally have been going about their business on the streets at that time on a Sunday, or were they taking in the spectacle too?

The half marathon marker came as we came onto the Pulaski Bridge linking Brooklyn to Queens . The race only spends 1½ miles in Queens before climbing out onto the Queensboro Bridge which links to Manhattan and spans Roosevelt Island . The bridge is nearly 1½ miles long, but dropping down into Manhattan brought one of the highlights of the race. The crowds must have been 10-15 deep, and all cheering their hearts out. It's great to hear your name being shouted out. “Lookin' good Chris, Lookin' strong!” And if you can acknowledge a cheer, the next people up the line will cheer you too.

So into Manhattan and north up First Avenue – 5 or 6 lanes wide, straight as an arrow, and completely traffic free for this day. I just ran down the centre of the road to savour the moment. It took the run to mile 20, a leg-punishing climb onto the Willis Avenue Bridge and into the Bronx . Now, I didn't hang around here, but nor did I see the sign “Run Quick, You're in the Bronx Now” (or any sign of trouble, or lack of welcome either). A mile later we were going over the fifth and final bridge, dropping down into Harlem .

This is when it really got tough for me. I wanted to beat my London time if I could, and I also wanted if possible to run all the way, and at least further than the 23 miles I had run in London before walking. I needed to start drawing into myself, which I do by counting my steps (“Keep going Chris 'til you get to 1000”) I knew that I was well ahead of my London time, but also that I would still beat that time if I just walked most of the rest of the way. I can resist anything but temptation! We ran down Fifth Avenue and eventually into Central Park . Now, I guess if you are going for a short jog, you might think Central Park is fairly flat. By this stage it didn't seem that way. The crowd were great all along the way, shouting my name, keeping me putting one foot in front of the other. Sometime after 24 miles I had to give in on an incline, and rewarded myself with a 200 pace walk. I'll just have to learn to live with myself again. The only other pause was about one km out, when a fellow runner said “I'll keep you going if you keep me going”. It would have been churlish to refuse. As I rounded the final bend with about 600m to go, I heard my name screamed with new intensity, turned round, I found my wife shouting for me.

That was it then – over the finish line in Central Park in 3:42:31; virtually 25 minutes faster than I had run in London; faster than I ever dreamed I could achieve; in the top 20% of finishers; 836th in my age group. Lance Armstrong beat me, but, hey, he's younger.

A successful weekend in my book, and lots of money raised for The Children's Society. If anyone has a burning desire to contribute, then www.justgiving.com/chrisgoldie will happily accept your money - thanks.”

1 Marilson Gomes dos Santos (Brazil) 2.09.58

6771 Chris Goldie (Cirencester) 3.42.31. 37,954 finished. www.nycmarathon.org

5 November, Tewkesbury ‘5’ Mr Wright sent a sick note to the captain apologising for his absence from the Oxford League and instead hauled his aching hamstring around this lovely rural course in order to claim the Glos County V45 title (see below).

1 Mike Cadman (Tipton) 25.33

35 David Wright (Cirencester) 30.15. 331 finished. www.tewkesburyac.blogspot.com

12 November, Sodbury Slog m/t .

1 Richard Williams ( Bristol University ) 57.35

179 Chris Sherrington (Cirencester) 1.18.56

332 Trudy Compton 1.25.51. 998 finished. www.bittonroadrunners.co.uk and www.marathon-photos.com (well worth a look).

GLOUCESTERSHIRE AAA COUNTY ROAD RACE SERIES 2006

As flagged up in newsletters earlier in the year, this series is run on a similar format to the club championship, with 12 designated races during the year of which best eight count towards overall and five year age group categories (10 points for first home, down to one point for 10th). With a fair number of the races overlapping with Cirencester’s selected events, this is a championship worth pursuing. Surprisingly, given the club’s success achieved during 2006 on the roads, few feature highly in the final rankings. Only David Wright, with victory in the V45 category, and David Edelsten (3rd V60) were in the medals, although Carol Clarke & Yvonne Binks were nominally 2nd & 3rd FV55 but didn’t run in the minimum number of five events to qualify for awards. Results summary:

Overall ladies: 1 Lucy Walmsley (Bourton) 73pts. Ciren: Wendy Jones 10pts, Jane Wassell 9pts, Kveta Kroulikova 7pts, Caroline Bolam 5pts, Fiona Collings 4pts, Corinne Clark 3pts, Trudy Compton 2pts.

FV35: 1 Kate Hall (Bourton) 78pts. Ciren scores: Trudy Compton 17pts, Wendy Jones 10pts, Jane Wassell 9pts.

FV40: 1 Shirley Creed (Bourton) 72pts. Ciren: Fiona Collings 9pts.

FV50: 1 Gill Wilkie (Bourton) 65pts. Ciren: Sue Brown 10pts.

FV55: 1 Carol Cowley ( Tewkesbury ) 70pts, 2 Carol Clarke (Cirencester) 9pts, 3 Yvonne Binks 8pts.

Overall men: 1 Dennis Walmsley (Bourton) 72pts. Ciren: Pancho Gonzalez-Diaz 22pts, Chris Illman 11pts, David Wright 7pts, Mike Humphries 5pts, Bill Leggate 4pts, Adrian Williams 3pts, Paul Barlow 2pts.

V40: 1 Dennis Walmsley (Bourton) 80pts. Ciren: Tim Collings 8pts, Mark Gluning 7pts, Mark Evans 4pts.

V45: 1 David Wright (Cirencester) 80pts. Other Ciren: Dorian Matts 13pts.

V50: 1 Tony Spedding (Bourton) 79pts. Ciren: Andy Bradley 40pts, Chris Riches 8pts, Ian Pople 7pts.

V60: 1 Norm Lane (Bourton) 75pts, 3 David Edelsten 37pts. Other Ciren: Dick Waldron 16pts.

As soon as races for 2007 are announced (this year’s started on 8 January with the Gloucester ‘10’) details will be published in the newsletter. It would be good to usurp Bourton Road Runners as leading club next year. For full details look up www.runnerduck.co.uk/running

ROAD / MULTI-TERRAIN FIXTURES (Sunday unless stated)

26 December (Tue), Pilot Inn ‘4’, nr Gloucester at 11.30. www.severnac.co.uk

1 January, 2007 (Mon), Pilot Inn ‘5’, nr Gloucester at 11.30. www.severnac.co.uk

7 January, Gloucester ‘10’ at 10.30. www.severnac.co.uk

11 February, Dursley Dozen m/t at 10.30. www.g4cio.demon.co.uk/ddozen/ddozen.htm

25 February, Bourton 10k at 10.30. Entries always close very early for this race, which is likely to be the first in the club’s 2007 road race championsip. Entry forms on noticeboard or from www.bourtonroadrunners.co.uk

25 March, Forest of Dean Trails ½ Marathon at 10.00. A long way off but another race that fills up weeks ahead of the race. www.rotary-rfod.org.uk/rfod-half-marathon.htm

NEW MEMBERS

More new members this month: welcome to Natalie Hunt & Graham Grafton.

CLUB TRAINING

Following on from Bob Ferris’ message last month, herewith updated Tuesday night training venues (note that these are subject to change): Nov 21 Tetbury hill; Nov 28 School; Dec 5 School; Dec 12 School; Dec 19 Abbey grounds; Dec 26 No club session. Further updates to follow.

A reminder also that Sunday morning club runs now commence at 9.00 rather than 9.30 from the leisure centre.

CHRISTMAS PARTY

The club’s annual party and awards evening on Friday 8 December is now fully booked. Please arrive at the Corinium Court Hotel at 7.00 for 7.30pm . Social secretary Wendy Jones advises that one or two people still need to pay the £25 due. Please forward cheques as soon as possible (payable to Cirencester AC) to Wendy either at the club or to 2 Totterdown Cottages, Totterdown Lane , Fairford, Glos. GL7 4DG (01285 712639).

FEATURE ARTICLE

As promised, herewith part two of Andy Bradley’s mighty tome entitled “How Good’s That” recording the club trip to Debrecen , Hungary to watch Wendy Jones competing for Great Britain in the World Road Running Championships …

“In the evening after the race, the athletes were all invited to a dinner/dance. Wendy got some extra tickets through the GB team management and we got to mix with all the stars of the present and some from the past. David Bedford, former 10k world record holder & race director of London Marathon, introduced himself as we sat down on the GB table. Still with long hair & moustache, but the sands of time have changed the colour from black to grey. The food was good, if not quite up to the standard of the previous two nights, although they were catering for 200 odd folk. Two bottles of wine per table. Ours soon went, even though the GB management team opted to leave early, so we offered to drink the wine left on some of the other tables. No doubt the African nations don’t drink because of their religion or their training routine doesn’t allow. The training routine of Messrs Wright, Barlow & Bradley does allow alcohol, as the Cirencester hostelry “Somewhere Else” would verify. One member of that fine drinking trio (nameless) seemed to be enjoying the mix of Rosé, White, Champagne & Stella. After the food came the dancing. Firstly a superb Hungarian dance exhibition, a little similar to Morris Dancing, but nevertheless a classy performance with music to match. Next was a more waltz type dance routine, not quite matching the first, but still very entertaining. Then on came the band, playing some tasteful renditions like Smooth (Santana), which got the Africans to their feet. As the floor started to fill up, up stepped the Brits to show the rest of the world how not to dance. There’s something very stylish about foreigners dancing that we just don’t have, but us Brits do know how to jump up and down to the rocky stuff, i.e. Born To Be Wild. More good sounds from the band, Sex Bomb, Grease, I’m You’re Venus, Bad Moon Rising plus some sexy Latin numbers. Next were a couple of Hungarian tunes, time to wipe off the sweat and down another glass of wine, and it was time for some party tunes. First came the theme from Benny Hill (I kid you not), which started off a Conga. Then the next tune started off a strange routine where 20 odd pairs form an arch & the pair at the top go all the way to the bottom under the arms of the rest. So I quickly grabbed the nearest female, which just happened to be Susan Partridge, and joined in. Wrighty invited some female from the IAAF to join the procession. After going forwards, and then backwards, then it was on all fours. It seemed to go on for ages, but we loved it. Highlight of the weekend for me.

All night long the cameras were clicking, Wendy got the winner of the men’s race with the Palestinian who finished last (29minutes behind the 2nd to last). Sue took loads of us Brits on the dance floor. At some point late in the evening Wrighty remembered the name of the lady in the pink top dancing (joined at the hip more like) with a young USA runner. It was Jolanda Ceplak, winner of gold in 2002 (800m I think). So we all went over for a photo. Wendy & Susan with Jolanda in the middle. Two out of us three guys got a kiss too (names omitted to protect the innocent). The night finished around 12:30. The girls headed off to catch the bus back to the University, the Gang of Four headed off to find a bar. It was around this time between leaving the venue & arriving at the bar that Paul first came out with his immortal statement “How Good Was That”.

We found a Belgian bar still serving. So it was Stella all round & let’s introduce ourselves to the locals. Paul started chatting to a table of Romanians and they quickly offered their under the table bottle of Romanian spirit. God knows what it was, but it was pretty strong and I wasn’t having any more than a polite sip, in the interest of EU relations you understand. It was offered to Wrighty who sipped a little & then went outside, closely followed by Sue, to find the nearest lamppost and call for his old teenage friends “Ralph & Hugh”. Paul and I chatted to a couple of Americans about Honda cars & American iT companies (true honest). We left shortly afterwards concerned about getting all back to the apartment in a fit state for the next day’s long journey home. No sign of Sue & David outside, so we went back to the apartment. They weren’t there either. So out we go again looking for lost pair. Paul gives the locals a quick chant of “ City City ” (it is only 1am after all) and we find ourselves back at the Belgian bar. We needed a bit of basic logic to work out where they might have headed. They didn’t go East because we have just come that way. They wouldn’t go West because Sue would know it wasn’t the correct way. The yellow church is North, so no go there. So either they went South or they got arrested for being drunk and disorderly. Simple, go down the main street for a quarter of a mile, if no luck, give up, head back to the apartment and worry about them in the morning. Got to the apartment and they had arrived home. They did go south and somehow looped around and found the apartment (well done Sue). David looked whiter than white. In fact ghostly white. I was now considering a cash offer to swap beds with Paul. Wrighty went looking for “Ralph & Hugh” again, this time in the bathroom. We turned off the lights at around 2am after a night to remember. David took up a corpse position and I don’t think he moved all night, as he was still in a corpse position in the morning. The colour had now returned to his face and he’d made an impressive recovery.

Tea & pastries were downed and we left at 10am for the train station. This time the train was a bit more modern. With the help of an English speaking girl we paid the extra fee to the two non English speaking Ticket Inspectors, for the privilege of seating on a seat (the ticket allows you to travel on the train, not actually sit). On arriving at Budapest station Sue recognised the taxi driver (how could we forget), he remembered us (strange). Did we want him to take us to the Airport? No thanks we’ll try our luck with another company thanks. After all, the journey is much further; think how many accidents he could nearly have.

We then found a great lunchtime meal deal, eat & drink all you can for a set price of £5. A quick look inside and yes the food looked great. So the next two hours was spent watching the wheels of Budapest go round, wining and dining for a fiver. We booked the same taxi company that had picked us from the airport, to take us back, but unfortunately this driver (a German) was as speedy as the one in Debrecen . I’m sure he had a tee-shirt under his shirt with the slogan “Time is Money”. This one didn’t have the character of the other. David gave him a 20 Euros note and told him to keep the change. But he didn’t seem happy. David showed the email that stated the fee from Airport to apartment, and he muttered something in German and drove off.

We arrived back at Fairford at 10:30pm Monday evening. Everything, but everything, had gone smoothly, the apartments, the food, the weather, the friendly folk of Hungary , Attila and his statement about parallel lines meeting in infinity. Can’t wait for Udinese in Italy for next year’s World Championships. And to cap it all, the club have the 38th fastest long distance runner in the world (well done Wendy). How good’s that. @#$% good, that’s how good.”

MISCELLANY

… Tetbury Royal and former Cirencester member, Roger Hill, has forwarded this self-explanatory message from Paul Lockley which is worth distributing: “Sustrans, a charity that is building the National Cycle Network, has put in an application for a Big Lottery Grant and have made it through to the last six bidders with their Connect2 project with which they intend to create 50 cycle links across the country.

As the deadline for applications was rapidly approaching, I submitted a proposal for the creation of a Tetbury to Cirencester Cycle Path along the old railway track on behalf of Tetbury Cyclists and have heard that this proposal is likely to be one of the fifty links that Sustrans select for their lottery bid, which will be awarded next year.
Sustrans have said that it’s important I can now show that there is sufficient support in the whole community for the creation of a cycle path between Tetbury and Cirencester. So if you are likely to want to cycle, walk or run along the proposed cycle path, or just think it is a good idea, could you let me have your name and address so I can add them to the list of supporters I am compiling please? Thank you for your support.” If you wish to support this worthy cause please forward your name and address to paul_lockley@hotmail.com

David Wright: wrights@tesco.net or 01285 641224