Starting us off this week on Wednesday was the irrepressible Georgina Brice making the now familiar trip to Phoenix Running’s Walton on Thames base to complete the Christmas Advent Calendar Marathon in 5h32m and collecting a lovely medal and a fine pair of silver wings in recognition of having finished 25 marathons with them. You don’t get to 84 marathons by Georgina’s tender age by doing just one marathon a week, so she was back for more on Saturday for yet another marathon, the Silver Key, to take her total to an incredible 85!

Also on the Saturday, Rob Harris took on the Endurance Life Dorset multi-distance event where runners choose from 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra (36 miles) and Ultra PLUS (47 miles). In true Running Forever RC style, Rob chose to take on the Ultra PLUS, although the conditions and brutal nature of the course at over 8,000 feet of climbing saw him complete the Ultra distance instead in a time of 10h03.

The heart of Running Forever RC is the Wednesday club night, where we have 10 groups each week catering for all paces. Peter Stretton, Group 7 leader, took a few of his fellow runners down to Torquay on Saturday to race the 7.5 mile hilly Cockington Christmas Caper where Craig Moore, Elizabeth and Matt Williams completed the event in 2h13m. Please contact us if you want to come along and give a Wednesday session a go – we’re very friendly and have a group that will suit everyone.

Carrying on the Christmas theme, Charles Hiney sped around the Cardiff Santa Dash in 18m44s to finish in 4th place. Llongyfarchiadau Charles, as they say around those parts!

Regular trail and road group leader Andy Higham continues his quest to run an Ultra Marathon in each of the UK’s national parks, this time taking on the Montane Cheviot Ultra. At 55 miles this has a reputation of being one of the toughest in the UK over the ~50 mile distance. Fellow club member Ali Bisatt accompanied Andy up to the North East but in the event their plans were scuppered by Storm Arwen, which blitzed through the region leaving many without power and Andy and Ali without a race to run. Being made of hardy stuff, despite the cancellation of the race they decided to use the time to recce some of the course, and after slipping and sliding in the snowy conditions eventually beat a retreat to the warmth of the car after 30 miles. I have no doubt they will be back next year for another go!

Locally, parkrun was mercifully largely spared by Storm Arwen and we had 20 take park at Longrun Meadow in Taunton plus one each at Burnham and Highbridge, Exmouth and Central parkrun in Plymouth.

It’s the time of year when days are short and race calendars are sparse but that didn’t stop new club member Emma Louise completing the Heddon Howler 5km race over near Barnstaple coming in as 2nd lady in her age group. A further hardy group of 14 Running Forever RC members weren’t to be put off by the wintry conditions from making the short trip to Bicton College near Budleigh Salterton for the Bicton Blister 10 mile race. It’s great to see one of the popular local races making a comeback this year following cancellation in 2020 for this and many others. The course is mostly along hilly trails with a very welcome quick finish along the road, as you can see from the finishing straight photos. First home in 1h29m was Ron Foord continuing a rich vein of form over the autumn, with Simon Rowland (1h30m), Ian Bawler (1h31m), Jon Newby (1h34m) and Dave Loader (1h34m) all close behind. First ladies home were Sam Cross and Sue Lewis both in 1h38m, followed by Damon Butler (1h43m). The next set of hardy runners back were Ann-Marie Crampton (1h48m), Helen Prescott (1h50m), Nadine Prouse (1h50m) and Peta Aspden (1h54), with Rosie Bennyworth (2h01m) and Rachel Nicholls (2h07m) completing the club charge to the finish. Storm Arwen managed to close several parkrun events, but whilst numbers were down for us compared to a normal week we still had good representation at Longrun Meadow with 12 taking part, plus 1 each at St Mary’s Bridport and Great Field Dorchester.

A large group of Running Forever trail runners took to the hills of South Wales on Saturday 13th November for the ever popular Up Hill Down Dale Beacons Ultra, a 47 mile route in the Brecon Beacons. Running in memory of Adrian Edwards, a much-loved club member who passed away earlier in the year, they were blessed by favourable weather for this very challenging route, made tougher by being a two-lapper; the runners know exactly what they are in for when they leave the halfway checkpoint! A few had also done the Porto Marathon the week before and needed the extra help of their memories of Adrian to get around lap two. First home for the club and in 4th place overall was Sam Carden in 7h42, with Dean Bennett (7h58) and Ali Bisatt (8h32) close behind, and then 3rd lady Sam Wharton and Robin Upton (both 9h56). Next over the finish line were Fintan Murray (10h42), Andy Burgess (10:51) and Martin Webb (10:52), then the trio of Dave Marshall, Jon Newby and Mark Wilson in 11h32. Andy Higham (11:48) and Sandra Moffatt (13:16) followed them in, and lastly the group of Chris Buckman, Matt Blee and Chris Gunn all completed the course in 14h03. Also taking on a loopy endeavour, four club members headed to Cricket St Thomas to take on the Lemur Loop which offers a range of distances from a 10k single lap all the way up to as many laps as you can manage in 12 hours. Three club members, Ann-Marie Crampton, Helen Prescott and Sally Tuer, all opted for the 10k which they completed in 1h08. Brett Gatward, channelling his inner hamster, went around the loop six times in all for a grand total of 35 miles in 11:15. Rob Murr travelled over to Walton on Thames to pay his respects by taking part in the Phoenix Running Remembrance Run, during which at 11:00 the runners out on the course pause to observe the 2 minute silence. Rob completed the event in 5h44m to receive his poignant medal. A bumper crop of 36 parkrunners took part across 10 different courses this week, including Kingsway (2), Hampstead Heath (1), Newport (1), Lanydrock (1), Worthing (1), Exmouth (2), Bolberry Down (1), Central Park (Plymouth, not New York! 1), Cranbrook Country Park (1) and the usual good turnout of 25 at Longrun Meadow.

Running Forever athletes went on tour this weekend with a contingent heading to sunny Porto for their marathon. In beautiful conditions and a very scenic course, Simon Denson’s 3.28 allowed him to be first to the bar, James Lewes was next in 3.46 with Mark Wilson (4.03); Helen Needs (4.07); Sam Wharton (4.08) and Lisa Denson (4.08) hot on his heels. Chris Gunn clocked 4.16, Peter Hall 4.34 and Sarah Henderson 4.52 to top off a great weekend. A bit closer to home, Tracy Marshall crossed the line in 1.36 at the Bideford 10 miler with Emma Salter taking 1.47 and Rachael Jones completing the trio with her 2.03. Club member Hannah Taunton, in her TAC kit, took first female finisher spot in 61 minutes.Up in Ironbridge, Malcolm Hutchings and Damon Butler both completed the Half in 2.29. In the hilly but scenic Portland Marathon, Ron Foord was first RFRC member home in 5.14. Scott Weetch followed in 5.27 and Dave Urwin clocking 5.37. In the Half distance, Sally Tuer and Nadine Prouse collected their medals in 2.32 with Liz Williams and Rob Murr both completing the distance in 2.56. Down in Exeter, Eliza Brodie finish the city marathon in 5.53. Whilst parkrun tourists headed for Minehead, Lanhydrock, Great Knotley, Isabel Trail and Penryn Campus, twenty two completed the Longrun Meadow event where a quartet ran personal best times.

Five Running Forever members donned their head torches on Saturday night for the Moonlit Meadow races in Longrun Meadow. In the 10K event Sam Carden took 3rd place spot with his 42.50. Simon Rowland finished the distance in 50.51 with Tracy Marshall & Rachael Jones splashing their way back in 1 hour 25. In the 5K event, Emma Walter finished in 46.31.
Finally being able to complete the Canal Canter Half after a couple of postponements, Paula Bisatt & Karen Chapman galloped home in 2.37.
In a slightly more exotic location, Liz Williams completed the IM Turkey 70.3 triathlon in 7.02.
Around 60 members turned out on Sunday to take part in a fundraising walk in memory of RFRC member Adrian Edwards who died in May. Unable to say a proper farewell at the time, three scenic loops of muddy Quantock trails followed by lunch seemed a perfect way to remember him. Monies raised were split between Adrian’s chosen charities of St Margaret’s Hospice and BIBIC and our Club charity, Taunton Samaritans.
This weeks parkrun tourists got wet in Shepton Mallet and The Great Field whilst eighteen members splashed round Longrun Meadow.

It was great to see runners taking to the streets of London again and Running Forever had lots of members taking part. First back was Peter Gould in 2.53. Then a trio who were over the line within minutes of each other, Dan Talbot (3.07); Emma Kiernan (3.08) and Ali Bisatt (3.09). Martin Webb was next in 3.46 with Matthew Paul (3.48) and Sam Wharton (3.50) hot on his heels. First time London Marathoner Sally Tuer collected her medal in 4.14, followed by Andrew Phillips (4.18); Arthur Lewis (4.30); Ann-Marie Crampton (4.30) and Jane Cooke (4.47). Completing their first 26.2 distance were Rosie Benneyworth in 4.54 and Tanya Gault (5.35) with Craig Moore heading up the Mall in 5.55. Great effort!Well done to all the Club Virtual London runners who devised their own routes in the local area and ran with friends and Club mates providing the company and support.Clocking distance no 82 in the imaginatively titled Not The London Marathon was Georgina Brice in 5.51.Ray Tutton headed to Scotland for the Loch Ness Marathon, where he finished in 3.47, no word of whether he spotted Nessie on the way.Completing a very hilly Clarendon Marathon in 7.27, Rob Murr’s feet were delighted to see the finish line.Taking on the LDWA Three Circles of Machen event Sue Lewis and Emma Greig walked in 3 hilly circles for 12.47, collecting cake along the way as well as some spectacular views.James Lewes clocked 1.45 for the PB Breaker Half in Glastonbury.Sixteen members took part in the Longrun Meadow parkrun with Sam Cross earning a PB. Tourists headed for Minehead, Jesmond Dene, Sharpham Road and Cranbook Country Park runs.

It was a case of go very long or go short for Running Forever RC club members this week, with little in between.Two intrepid runners took on two very different ultra marathons. First up was Robin Upton, achieving a long held ambition of taking part in the Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc (UTMB) trail running festival in the French Alps. The UTMB races are the pinnacle of ultra marathon running and represent a bucket list event for many, including Robin. Several races are held over one week and Robin took on the very challenging CCC event. The race gets its name from three locations along the route, beginning in Courmayeur in Italy, passing through Champex Lac in Switzerland before finishing in the home town of UTMB, Chamonix in France. The race began on Friday morning and Robin ran through the night to finish on Saturday in 25h53m, after covering 100kms and more than 20,000 feet of climbing, which he somehow managed to enjoy!The second intrepid runner was Andy Burgess, taking on the more local but appropriately named Green Man Challenge, a circumnavigation of Bristol via the 46 mile/74km Community Forest Path. The was marathon/ultra marathon number 78 for Andy, which he completed in 9h32m.The remaining event participants were all running the short and sharp 5km parkrun distance. It’s clearly still holiday season because we had 10 runners out and about in such diverse locations as Pontypool, London and the Isle of White. A further 26 club members took on the local parkrun course of two laps around Longrun Meadow, with personal best times for Sherri Dingle and Dan Devlin.