Bridge Inn 5k – Tuesday 31st January 2012

Bristol University’s Andrew Woods warmed up for the British University’s Cross-Country on Saturday 4th February 2012 with a win in the latest running of the Easy Runner sponsored Bridge Inn 5k on Tuesday 31^st January 2012. Andrew’s time was a 5k road PB of 15:42. In doing so he led runners from the host club to a 1-2-3 clean sweep. Runner-up was under-20 Luke Grenfell-Shaw in 16:10 with Simon Thornton a further 9 seconds back in 16:19.

In fifth place – and first under-17 – was Luke Jacobs, looking for some form in the run up to the National Cross-Country, in 16:30.  The first vet (and in the V50 category too) was Phil Westlake of Bitton Road Runners in 16:57 just getting the better of Jacobs Senior (Mike) who was second vet (and a V45) in 17:05.

The first lady in twenty-sixth place overall was Emma D’Alton of Westbury Harriers in 17:57.

Despite the cold night there were 138 finishers and our thanks as ever go to Chris Elson and his team of volunteers for staging the event.

Full results can be found by following the link to Results-Bridge Inn 5k.

The next race in the 2011/2012 Winter Series will be on Tuesday 28^th February 2012.

138 Finish Latest Bridge Inn

A wet and windy day didn't put off the runners for the latest Easy Runner sponsored Bridge Inn 5k held on Tuesday 29th November 2011. There were 138 finishers with 31 of those members of Bristol & West.

Clear winner was Steve Davis of Belgrave Harriers in a quick 14:54 - there aren't too many athletes who have gone sub-15 around the course. Behind him Bristol University Cross-Country Captain and Bristol & West club member Chris Dodd shaved another 12 seconds off his PB with a 15:13 clocking. Third was Joe Dalgleish (Stroud and UWE) in 15:29. 

First under-17 in seventh place was Zak Tobias in 15:37 and first vet (actually a V45) was Mike Jacobs in 17:00. In the ladies race it was nice to see some new faces from further afield as Katie Beecher from Les Croupiers in South Wales won in 18:56 - twenty seconds clear of new club member Diana Kennedy in 19:16. Third lady (and first lady vet (an F45) ) was Bridge Inn regular Aileen Brown of GWR in 20:17.

Congratulations to Chris Elson and his team on another excellent event.

Full results can be found by following the link to Results - Bridge Inn 5k.

A quick reminder that there is no Bridge Inn in December and the next race in the current 2011-2012 Winter Series will be on Tuesday 31 January 2012.

Youngsters to the Fore at Bridge Inn

Charlie Maclean and Hannah Alderson were individual winners of the second race of the Bridge Inn Winter Series on Tuesday 25th October 2011 as youngsters from a variety of clubs ran fast times on a night when heavy showers threatened but held off.

Charlie Maclean ran 15.21 to win the race but was chased hard all the way by Bristol and West Club mate Chris Dodd who crossed the line just 4 seconds in arrears in 15.25. Behind these two a trio of Stroud and District athletes - Joe Dalgleish (15.30), Greg Halliwell (15.37) and Brett Halliwell (15.56) -were next home to keep the age of the first five well below 23. Behind the Bristol & West under-17 pair of Zak Tobias and Will Christofi crossed the line in sixth and seventh places in 15.57 and 15.58 respectively.

Hannah Alderson showed her injuries and illness are now behind her as she finished sixteenth overall to win the ladies race - posting a five second PB with her time of 17.18. Behind her second female finisher was Liz Smith of Westbury in 18.53.

As usual there were several good runs from the Bristol & West Recreational runners group - in fact several have improved so much that they are no longer recreational runners - as evidenced by Emma Bower's 30 second PB of 20.29 to take fifth place in the ladies race and Nick Taviner taking 26 seconds off his PB with 17.26 for seventeenth.

The race had 116 finishers and full results can be found by following the link to Results - Bridge Inn 5k.

Next Bridge Inn - Tuesday 25th October 2011

The next in the Winter series of Bridge Inn 5K races that the club organises is on Tuesday 25th October. As usual registration is on the night from 6.30pm with the race start at 7.30pm.

If you filled in an entry form at the first race of the Winter series then you do not need to fill in another.

Not in the mood for a flat-out race but have a tempo run on your schedule that week - then why not come along to the Bridge Inn and give it a go - but less than flat out - a good way to put down a training benchmark that you don't have to taper for - and you can be sure that there will be company at whatever pace you are running.

Bridge Inn Kicks off With Large Field

The first Bridge Inn 5k of the winter 2011/2012 series was held on Tuesday 27 September 2011. Race Director Chris Elson was delighted with a record-equalling 141 finishers for a first race in this popular series sponsored by Easy Runner. Several athletes took the opportunity of a fine, still night to post personal bests and the overall winner was Matt Crane of Bristol & West in 16.10. Second was Mike Blackmore of Bitton Road Runners (16.18) and third was Andrew Glover of Westbury Harriers (16.21).

Mike Jacobs (M45) of Bristol & West was first vet in 16.59 just edging out Jacob Hayes (M40) of Bitton Road Runners who ran 17.02.

Sophie Voller of Westbury Harriers followed up her fine Midland Relay leg with a win in the ladies race clocking 18.01 with Hannah Alderson of Bristol & West second in 18.16 and Vicky Tester - now running in the colours of Westbury Harriers - third in 18.42. Aileen Brown of Great Western Runners was first L45 in 19.14.

Full results can be found by following the link to Results - Bridge Inn 5k.

The second race of the winter 2011/2012 series will be held on Tuesday 25th October 2011.