Happy first Sunday of Spring, Crofties! It’s been another fantastic week of running, shall we tuck in?
Our Juniors worked hard in their training session on Monday evening, being introduced to one of CARC’s most favourite training activities – Paarlaufs – a relay type training drill. Our Junior sessions continue to prove popular at Wigmore with plenty of aspiring runners turning up each week for their weekly dose of CARC.
And, what about our Seniors, I hear you ask? On Tuesday it was over to Croft for a hill interval session in the starry woods with Sam H at the helm. Thursday was with Tim at High Vinnalls and was all about long intervals and dodging the numerous toads that were out and about on the trails!
There was a mid-week race for Saffi this week, heading down to Weston-Super-Mare to run in the 1 Mile Prom Road Race. She finished with a new PB of 05:53 and picked up her 11th UK ranking as well as coming 1st in her age category and 4th female overall out of 119 entrants.
Saturday saw our first Club Championship race of 2025-2026 – Riverside Walk Parkrun in Hay. It was an overcast Saturday morning but that didn’t stop several Crofties from turning up in their Sky Blue vests ready to take on the relatively new Parkrun course. Sam J would finish first with a new PB and new Course Record of 16:34. Eric would finish 2nd and Bronwyn would be our first female and 4th female overall. Joining Sam with a PB was Mike H in 29:33 and Alison D in 46:10. Take a look at how our Club Championship standings are looking after Race 1:
Back at our home Parkrun – Ludlow, it was Naomi that was first home for Croft and 2nd female overall. Sam H and Holly also took part, with Holly achieving a new PB in 36:39. Clare P will be RD at next week’s Ludlow Parkrun and is still in need of some extra volunteers! Please contact her if interested! Elsewhere, in Bedfordshire, Howard and Claire V ran at Millennium Country Parkrun for the first time, finishing in 24:24 and 34:37 respectively.
Plenty of Croft runners have taken part in several races this weekend, some as part of their marathon training!
On Saturday, Stuart, Liza, Louise P, Roland and Steph K ran at the Nant yr Arian Silver Trail Half Marathon near to Aberystwyth in Wales. Despite several hills, which can be described as “challenging and technical,” and the odd scrape and bruise to a few knees, the sun shone and the weather stayed glorious for our runners to complete their 13.1 mile challenge. First over the line for our club was Stuart and Liza, followed in by Lou, Roland and Steph. Their times are as follows:
Stuart Austin – 02:36:17
Liza Austin – 02:36:19
Louise Phillips – 02:47:55
Roland Preece – 02:53:53
Steph King – 03:06:17
Also on Saturday, Christina and her husband; James, ran the Brecon Canal 10. “This new event (inaugural race was in 2023) is a 10 mile race ideal for those wanting to step up from running a 10k or train for a half marathon / marathon. The course is relatively flat and takes in the spectacular scenery of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The event is an out and back course which starts in the market town of Brecon and follows the Brecon and Monmouthshire Canal.” Christina and James both finished in 01:35:27.
It was another busy Saturday for Saffi, fresh from Thursday’s 1 mile race in Weston. This time she was running at the London Mini Marathon Trails, a 2.7km circuit where she would place 6th in a strong field of UK ranked U13 athletes. Saf will have to wait to hear to see if she makes the West Midlands Team for next month’s prestigious London Mini Marathon. We’ve got everything crossed for you Saf!
Sunday, and 3 Croft runners headed up to Welshpool to take on the Welshpool 10k – “an undulating and challenging one lap race that starts and finishes in the Town Centre on fully closed roads. The Route is a very fast start and finish and takes in the breathtaking Powis Castle.” Amy P was our first runner across the line, closely followed by Lou P and Sue P. CARC results:
Amy Purvin – 57:10
Louise Phillips – 58:40
Sue Purvin – 01:01:20
Sam J was also out racing today in Stroud in the Fission 20 – “a two-lap flat course in lovely countryside close to the River Severn.” He would finish first overall in an eye watering time of 01:49:58. He said on his Strava page: “Hard work, but was never gunna be easy! Huge confidence boost.. roll on London.”
Over in Ironbridge, two Crofties ran at the Ironbridge Half Marathon – “the course is a down and up, multi-surface, one lap loop.” Simon was first Croft runner home in 01:32:11, his quickest half marathon time in a few years. He would also finish 2nd in the Male 55-59 age category. It was also a brilliant race for Kath who finished in 01:42:26. She would finish 9th female overall and 2nd in the Female 45-49 age category.
Well done all for another fantastic week. The upcoming training schedule will be live on our Facebook on Monday morning. In the meantime, don’t forget, we’re always on the look out for your race reports for the website, so get posting them on Facebook or send them to either Sam H, Huw or myself (Bronwyn).