Welcome all to 2026! And with it, the return of your Weekly CARC Update. However, before we get stuck in to the new year, we need to get you all caught up on the shenanigans of the final TWO weeks of 2025! So, get comfy because this is a bumper edition to kick start your 2026’s!
(Disclaimer: I’ve not been as prepared to write this as I should be! If I have missed anything, please accept this as my apology!)
Throwing it back to Christmas Week, starting Monday 22nd December. Our Junior runners were done for the year so there is no session to report back on. As for our Seniors, they were given the opportunity to take part in a short interval training session with Huw at Shobdon on the Tuesday. In recent year’s, we have taken a Christmas/New Year break from training sessions, but a decent turn out meant our members are still as eager as ever to get their training shoes on!
A few Crofties were also eager on Christmas Day, taking part in the ever more popular; Christmas Day Parkruns! Nearly 400 runners ran at the Hereford event, with several Sky Blues making the trip over to the race course. Eric was the first of our runners home in 4th place, his time was 17:34. Saffi was first female overall, also recording a new PB of 20:13. Steph K would also run a new PB in 25:04. Other Crofties taking part were Steve, Simon, Joe L, Mike B and Rob W. Elsewhere, Kelly ran at Y Promenâd Parkrun in Brecon, finishing 2nd female overall with a time of 22:28. Rounding out Christmas Day was Angus, running at Littlehampton Prom in West Sussex. He finished in 32:06.
There was plenty of action on Boxing Day, with our annual Boxing Day Social Run, as well as the Devil’s Chair Dash Fell Race, in which three of our members took part in.
This year’s Boxing Day Run was hosted by Eric and was ran up and over Croft Ambrey and Bircher Common. The running group was slightly smaller than the norm, while the walking group was deemed to be the more popular of the choices on this day. There were also plenty of dogs, the majority of them being a Spaniel! Regardless, it was a lovely day to be out with CARC friends!
Tim, Flora and Gary were our runners who took part in the Devil’s Chair Dash Fell Race. This is an annual Boxing Day fell race, taking place on the Stiperstones. It measures at roughly 3 miles long, all uphill with a 800ft+ climb. CARC runners results:
Tim Jones – 36:11
Flora Gunner – 38:50
Gary Gunner – 45:53
Time for the first of TWO Parkrun Saturday’s for you! With our runners off visiting family, home and away, we have plenty of Parkrun action to bring you. Over in Ludlow it was one of the most competitive Ludlow Parkruns that we have seen in a while, with the top nine all finishing within two minutes of one another. Eric was our leading Croftie, finishing in 2nd with a time of 19:05. First Croft female went to Natalie, in a time of 28:03. Volunteer credits this week went to Casper, Kath, Angus, Paul L, Seb, Naomi, Jamie, Neil, Guy and Huw. At Queenswood Country Park, where there were over 350 competitors, Sam J took the win, and the Course Record, with a time of 17:25. This was his first time running the course in Parkrun conditions. Other Croft runners who took part were Suzanne P, Gary (with a new course PB) and Lottie. Simon volunteered. Keeping it local, Saffi ran at Hereford, taking another overall female win in 20:21. Kelly would run at Riverside Walk in Hay. She finished 3rd female and 11th overall with a time of 23:51. Elsewhere, Sam H ran at Horspath Parkrun in Oxford alongside her son; Alec. She said: “I did a little bit of parkrun tourism while taking the eldest son back after his Christmas visit. Horspath Parkrun in Oxford. A very flat course so got Alec to pace me, aiming for a sub 25 finish. Finished in 24.23 first in my age category with 195 runners in total, so very pleased with that Parkrun PB.”
Some of our runners planned to forgo Parkrun Saturday to take part in the Midwinter Mortimer Trail hosted by Andali Events! There were two options for this race – the Ultra (Ludlow to Kington) and the Half (Croft to Kington), with Croft runners taking part in both distances! Our own Sam M would take the win in the Ultra, with Gareth rounding out the Top Four!
Ultra Results:
Sam Mayglothing – 04:05:32 – 1st Overall
Gareth Leek – 04:25:52 – 4th Overall
Nigel Taylor – 05:44:24
Ireland Pearson – 07:31:47
Patrick Pearson – 08:08:10
Lee Monks – 08:09:55
Joe Lynch – 10:49:21
Emma Jones – 10:49:27
Half Results:
Carol Powell – 04:12:57
Onto Sunday – 28th December, if you’re a bit lost! And, it was time for Hereford Couriers Christmas 10k around the country lanes of Breinton. This was also the December round of our Club Championship. In what turned out to be a very competitive field – 1st, 2nd and 3rd all finished within 4 seconds of each other, over 20 Croft runners donned their Sky Blue vests to burn off some of their Christmas Dinners, or maybe to make room for more? Sam J would finish 4th overall, taking home 1st Senior Male. Eric also appeared in the top ten in 9th. An age category win went to Steph K, with Rob W taking 2nd in his. Full CARC results:
Sam Juson – 32:18 – 4th Overall, 1st SM
Eric Apperley – 34:07
Simon Norwood – 40:27 – 4th MV55
Steve Partridge – 40:54
Miles Davis – 41:24
Kath Hardwick – 47:20
Paul Lewis – 48:18
Paul Parker – 48:44
Neil Taylor – 49:01
Jo Marriott – 49:47 – 4th FV55
Mike Bending – 51:05
Craig Price – 52:27
Steph King – 52:56 – 1st FV60
Rob Wood – 55:31 – 2nd MV70
Steph Main – 57:05
Mike Hayward – 01:01:47
Ali Benwell – 01:03:23
Nicola Luscott – 01:03:36
Frank Luscott – 01:04:27
Michele Parker – 01:09:37
Dawn Hargadon – 01:11:26
The following Tuesday, the decision was made to host another regular training session in the evening. This was coached by Tim at Croft, with a focus on Hills. According to Strava, it was another well attended session, meaning our runners never miss a chance to get out and train!
On to New Year’s Eve where Saffi took part in the infamous Nos Galan Road Races in Mountain Ash, South Wales. She would take part in the Junior race – 1.2km around the town centre. Despite the field being extremely competitive, she finished in 04:05 and 3rd Overall Female.
Some more Parkruns for you now, this time the New Year’s Day edition! And, we’ll report things a bit backwards by starting with our Parkrun Tourists! The Coltart Family – Richard and Casper, ran at the Brandon Country Park Parkrun in Suffolk. They both finished in the top twenty, with Casper recording a new Parkrun PB of 23:12. Richard told us: “Casper and I managed to make it to a Parkrun in Brandon Country Park, Suffolk this morning whilst over here visiting family. Casper was pleased to be starting the year with a new Parkrun PB of 23:12. The course is on the outskirts of Thetford Forest and is not as flat as you might expect for this part of the world!” Kelly was still away for the Christmas Break and took advantage of the new Llanfoist Crossing Parkrun in Abergavenny. She would finish with a time of 22:52.
Running a bit closer to home at Newtown was Reachel, who started 2026 with a new Newtown Parkrun PB. Her time was 30:27. Onto Hereford, which saw several Sky Blue runners make appearances! Sam J, the first Croft runner home, finished in 2nd position with a time of 16:39. Saffi was first female overall. Her time was 20:25. Other Crofties to take part were Joe L, Rob W and Oli C-S. This brings us back full circle to our club’s home parkrun; Ludlow! It was another win for Eric. His time was 18:34. Simon joined him in the top ten. Naomi was our first female. Volunteers were Dawn, Angus, Seb, Jamie and Diane.
Those who weren’t taking part in NYD Parkruns had either partied too hard the night before, or, headed off to Church Stretton to run the annual Morning After Fell Race! It’s a tough race but fully marked and marshalled so perfect anyone taking a step into fell running for the first time. The course is around 8km with some challenging ups and downs. Here are the Croft finishing times:
Nigel Taylor: 46:29
Glyn Williams: 48:30
Matt Edwards: 49:51
Miles Davies 50:48
Tim Jones 57:19
Mike Bending 58:53
Steph King 1:02
Gary Gunner 1:15
Huw Williams 1:19
Our second Parkrun Saturday was cold, icy and, in some places, very snowy indeed! One of these snowy places was Ludlow, with several Crofties coming out to enjoy the wintery weather. Our first runner home this week was Richard, who finished in 14th place with a time of 26:28. Owen S, Toby and Tim J joined him in the top twenty. Thea was our first female, taking part in Parkrun for the first time in a while. She also finished 3rd female overall. Runners gaining a volunteer credit were Casper, Seb, Naomi, Clare, Jamie and Neil. Over at Queenswood, 4 Crofties took part. Sam J took his second win there, finishing in 19:10. Steve also finished in the top twenty. Angus and Lottie came away with new PBs. Their times were 32:01 and 41:37, respectively. Elsewhere, Mike H headed up to York to run at the York Parkrun. He finished in 30:11. The last of our Parkruns for this report takes place in New South Wales, Australia, with Oliver and Ted taking part in Cronulla Parkrun after their recent move there. Ted finished ahead of his dad, Oliver, with times of 35:48 and 35:49, respectively.
Saturday saw Saffi taking part in the Plock Court Cross Coutnry Relays in Gloucester where she ran 2 miles in leg 1 for a team of 4. She ran a sub 12 mins to help her team take second place. Today saw her travel to Kidderminster for a 10k around Beodenham Arboretum. Freezing and hilly she finished first female and third place overall in a field of 148 runners
Sunday XC
A new venue and a tough two-lap course well organised and marshalled by Malvern Buzzards. Croft came out in force (our super strength) and, although we missed some of our most rapid runners, we put in a strong performance that ensures we go into the last race of the series in a commanding positions. Our 1st place women’s team came home in second place. Strong teams from Maldwyn, Buzzards and Western Tempo pushed the our men’s team into 5th – but, with Sam’s all conquering runs over the 4 races so far, it looks as though the men’s team which consisted of Jasper, Simon and Steve today, retain their 1st place position with 6 minutes advantage over second place Maldwyn.
And that’s not all – hot off the press – our women’s team (today led by Hanna with Irina, Kelly and Sam H) are also in 1st position – with an incredibly close 20 second lead over Builth!
So it’s all to run for at the final race at Rotherwas on Feb 1st!
There were some great individual results and they can all be viewed on the ReadySetGo site if you Click here.
That’s all from a very busy couple of weeks. If I have missed anything please forgive me! Please remember to let either Bron, Huw, Tori or Sam H know by 6pm on Sunday evening if you have anything that you want included in the newsletter.