Not many races this weekend and even fewer photos! So let’s start with a reminder that the club is always welcoming new members. We are a club of all abilities, offering 11 different paced groups at our main club night on a Wednesday, as well as speed sessions on a Monday, trail runs on a Tuesday and regular longer runs (road and trail) at the weekends. Runners in general are a friendly bunch, but we like to think that Running Forever is the friendliest club around so if you want to give us a try head over to the website at https://runningforever.club or https://www.facebook.com/runningforeverrunningclub/ to find out more.

On to races now – if you’re up for the challenge of running a hilly 5k or 10k, then why not make it that bit tougher by doing it in the dark? I’m assuming that was the thinking of the brave souls who entered the Storm the Fort 5k and 10k events on the evening of Saturday 22nd Jan. The challenging route took runners up Brean Down and along to the Fort and back – twice for those choosing the 10k. First back in the 5k was Michael Turk in 40 mins followed by Emma Louise in 49m. Leading the way back for the club in the 10k was Adam Crichton in 46m, then Jo Carritt finished a few minutes later in 53m. A further group of four club members (Andrew Phillips, Dee Finch, Helen Prescott and Simon Rowland) took the safety in numbers approach in the dark and finished together in 1h14m.

Also on Saturday, and with the option to continue into Sunday, Dave Urwin took on the Crooked Tracks Wiltshire’s Trail event ‘Beyond the Far Side’ – a multi-lap endurance race with choices of 6, 12 and 24 hour durations. Dave plumped for the 12 hour variant and completed a very hilly 37.1 miles (7 laps) in 11h10m.

Hannah Taunton produced a fabulous performance at the Speedway 10k on Sunday running in her Taunton Athletic Club colours in a personal best time of 35m16s.

A total of 30 RFRC parkrunners were out in good force in Taunton this weekend, with visitors to Minehead, Weymouth and four taking part in only the second Marine Parade event in Weston-Super-Mare.

An intrepid trio of runners travelled to Dawlish for the intriguingly titled Oh My Obelisk! Half Marathon on Sunday. It seemed to be a bit uphill and there was indeed a sizeable column to be spotted by at least 2 of the 3 runners. Ali Bisatt failed to spot the landmark but finished in 1.44, Ron Foord clocked 2.02 with Michael Turk making it home in 2.30.

Sallly Tuer head for Budleigh Salterton for the Walter Raleigh Round Half, finishing in 2.39 to take her place at what was apparently a very impressive cake table.

Our parkrun tourists were in Aberdeen, Blanford, Itchen Valley, Exmouth and Burnham with 24 tackling the puddles of Longrun Meadow, where new member Adrian Troake earned himself a PB. Join RFRC and make those PBs a reality

Another great weekend of racing for Running Forever members with a huge turnout at the local Stoke Stampede where 1 in every 7 finisher was proudly wearing the red and white of RFRC. We also recruited several new members after they saw the fun and team spirit – not to mention Claire Loader’s vocal support. A list of runners is at the end, many PBs were earned and a couple of great age group finishes plus a 2nd spot in the race for Sam Carden.

On the marathon trail once again, Georgina Brice clocked up her 87th with a 5.41 in the SG-100.

Ray Tutton and Scott Weetch finished in 3.51 and 4.11 respectively at the Plym Trail marathon and Sam Astill completed the half marathon in 1:49.

The Stampeders were – Sam Carden 36.26 2nd Place; Dean Bennett 36.59; Andrew Saunders 39.54; Ben Timpson 42.58; Chris Manley 43.42; James Lewes 44.31; Fintan Murray 44.41; Ron Foord 46.22 2nd AG; Simon Rowland 46.19; Don MacPhail 47.11; Jo Gavins 48.18; Dave Loader 48.22; Darren Purchase 49.36; Martin Webb 49.41; Sue Lewis 49.48; Sam Cross 49.56 3rd AG; Chris Reah 51.03; Matt Price 51.27; Anne Marie Crampton 51.42; Dee Finch 54.16; Nadine Prouse 55.05; Damon Butler 55.22; Tracy Marshall 55.30; Chris Buckman 56.56; Helen Prescott 57.14; Andrew Phillips 57.20; Emily Macaulay 58.55; Sherri Dingle 59.27; Lauren Clark 59.28; Malcolm Boon 59.46; Chris Adams 60.35; Rob Murr 62.17; Matt Williams 63.08; Malcolm Hutchings 63.34; Liz Williams 64.27; Peter Stretton 65.07; Craig Moore 65.41; Emma Salter 65.44; Paula Bisatt 66.01; Karen Chapman 66.06; Kirsti Nelson 76.26; Yvonne Loat 76.45; Emma Greig 77.03; Vince Jones 77.57; Sarah Holloway 80.02; Rachael Jones 80.36; Isabelle Ashton 82.40; Kerry Anne Chapman 82.43; Suzanne Templeman 83.43

Our parkrun tourists went to Plymvalley, Moors Valley, Burnham, St Mary’s and Edgbaston whilst 14 stretched their legs through the puddles of Longrun Meadow

It was a flying start to 2022 for RFRC members as they headed to Chard on New Years Day for the first race of the Somerset Series.First runner home in the 10K Chard Flyer was Ali Bisatt who clocked 43.16. Emily Batt was next home in 45.22 to take 1st age group award. Simon Rowland (49.34), Phil Sorell (50.47) and Hannah Kirkman (52.21) were next over the line. Nadine Prouse clocked 57.28, closely followed by Sally Tuer in 57.47. Chris Reah and Paul Clowes finished in 58.00 with Paula Bisatt and Liz Williams completing the RFRC contingent with 72.20.

The Wellington Wobble 10K saw a great finish to 2021 competition for Running Forever with Club members Michael Turk (46.29) and Jo Gavins (50.13) taking first finisher spots. Ron Foord finished in 50.29, Lisa Denson in 51.57 and Chris Adams collecting his medal in 60.23.

There was no parkrun at Longrun on Saturday but we had tourists in Bushy Park, Ashton Court, Tamar Trails, Burnham, Exmouth and Cranbrook County Park.

Although only lone RFRC member took part in an organised race this weekend, that doesn’t mean that fitness was forgotten in favour of turkey dinners and cider consumption.

Our solo race entrant was Rob Wood who scored a 45 minute time in the Rock of Gibraltar 10K, with no word whether he was pursued by the famous apes.

Thirty one Club members took time off from opening their presents to take part in Christmas Day parkrun at Longrun Meadow. Tourists headed for Worthing and Wotton to get a break from sprout peeling.

The annual Club Run to the Seaside saw 15 members run the 19 miles from Taunton to Watchet, on the hilly route.

If you’d like to be part of the bestrunningclubever, we’ve a Beginners Group scheduled for early in the new year. C’mon, you know you want to – https://runningforever.club/beginners/

It was a Cracker of a weekend for Running Forever members, with a goodly contingent shaking off the effects of the Club Christmas Party and heading for the Christmas Cracker 10K in Weston. This race has a reputation of being tough but fun with fancy dress encouraged as they run along the sand as well as the prom.

First Club member home was Chris Manley in 53.38, followed by Ann-marie Crampton in 55.50. Sally Tuer finished her sandy exploits in 57.07; new member Damian Lake in 58.14 and Tracy Marshall in 58.15. Our final duo were Paula Bisatt and Karen Chapman who clocked out in 67.12. A cracking performance all round.

Ray Tutton and Tanya Lewis also took a trip to the coast and recorded times of 3.49 and 4.09 respectively in the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon.

Heading for the hills, Andy Burgess completed 33 tough miles of the Celtic Christmas Ultra in 6.49

Weston seems to be a popular place as a couple of members took a trip up mid week for the 5 mile prom race. Hannah Rachel Taunton took the first femail finisher in 28.03 with Sally Tuer finishing the distance in 43.12.

Our parkrun tourists were scattered far and wide this week, Southsea, Burnham, Selby, Exmouth, Mole Valley, Berkeley Green and the Old Showground. Twenty eight took part in the Christmas themed event at Longrun Meadow.

We’re well into December now and a certain time of year was starting to show in the outfits and events club members took part in this week. First race up was the Santa Scramble 10k on Brean Down ‘enjoyed’ by excellent Santa stand-ins Lisa Windsor and Sarah Holloway, who in 1h31m twice had the pleasure of the tough climb up the ‘Down’ during this two-lapper. The real Santa Claus has vowed to stick to squeezing down chimneys – he’s not built for hills!

Later in the day Michael Turk ran the ‘Extremely Jolly 7-miler’ around Escot Park near Ottery St. Mary. This was the first of three Jolly Running events at Escot Park over the two days. On Sunday the incredibly consistent Georgina Brice bagged marathon number 86 in 6h08m, taking her another step closer to her goal of 100 marathons by May 1st next year. She was closely followed home in the Escot Christmas Marathon event (the ‘Jolly’ title seems to have disappeared from the race name by this distance) by Zoe Stainton in 6h32m.

Three further club members took part in the Escot Christmas Half Marathon, Sally Tuer (2h34m), Simon Rowland (2h34m) and Rosie Benneyworth (2h44m), in addition to Michael, Georgina and Zoe, having a great time with the the unique selling point of these races – a mid-race waterslide, the liberal moistening of said slide being under close supervision of supporting club member Rob Murr.

We had a broadly typical count of 24 RFRC parkrunners at Longrun Meadow in Taunton, plus one runner each at Oxford and over in Coole Park, Galway in Ireland.