Results

Here are the results from Abingdon. The Club Championship standings have now been updated to take these into account. Check out the photos in our gallery!

A small but elite (our word) ERR group attended these races, which meant it was a day for playing your joker, or asking if you could 're-play' it if you already had done.

Well done to Denise for her PB, especially bearing in mind her speech beforehand about not putting in too much effort the week before a marathon.

Thanks to the Bishop family for their ever-energetic support.

I won the wine (that's Graham, in case you wonder who writes this rubbish), so have only myself to badger into writing the report that follows the results.

Henley is a Half of 2 halves, and the 10k coincides with the second of these halves. The first 6 or 7 miles of the Half is largely flat and scenic, passing through the village of Remenham then back along the river before returning to the town. Where it joins the 10k course we immediately hit 'the hill', which climbs for about 1.5 miles of varying gradient (but always up). What goes up must come down, as someone said, so your downhill technique is fully tested before the last couple of miles back down into the town and its supportive crowds, otherwise known as the Bishops.

With a small ERR attendance, it was certainly a day for dusting off that joker. John finally got to play his after a few missed opportunities, while Gail was also persuaded to play hers, having first asked 'what is a joker?'. Elsewhere in the 10k, Sheila did her chances in the Short League no harm at all by coming in first, while Roger showed what a tough course it was by finishing 10 minutes over 'par'. In Robert and Kevin's absence it was safe to play mine and, having heeded Denise's advice about not overdoing it in the week before a marathon, I was quite pleased with my time. The lady herself was also suitably pleased with her pb - obviously her advice was only meant for others. She was followed home by Hugh and Larry, who unfortunately aggrevated some injuries over those punishing hills and may have put back his 20000 miles d-day.

A smallish ERR turnout for a scenic 10-miler with some surprising hills. Well done to Robert and Jacky for finishing so high up in their categories, although I don't think any prizes were awarded.

Adrian made a late decision to run and was rewarded with the bottle of wine, so his report follows the results. 

This was't a short league race and as I haven't done a 10 mile race for at least 10 years, I  hadn't planned on doing it.  But as Jacky was going, I thought I'd go a long and perhaps do the 3.5 miles provided I could still enter on the day and if not I'd sit in the car and read the paper.

Well done to Robert for finishing 6th overall, and 3rd in the MV40 category. Also to Larry for being back on the (virtual) podium.

Welcome back to Luke with a pretty good performance after a few years' absence. Dan wasn't in club colours so no CC points. Hugh won the wine and his report follows the results.

Whose idea was it to run home afterwards?

What is there to say about this race.  All experienced or longstanding ERR members will know all about the race and so my comments are consequently brief.

·         It’s been going for 25 years!

·         Witney Running Club run it

·         It’s virtually on our back door so it is easy to get to.

·         It’s supposed to be 10 miles (but it might be a fraction more) and takes you around Leafield and Minster Lovell and if you like to study the countryside it is a course that is generally open to view

·         Traffic - generally quiet

·         It’s all on road, apart from the last 250 meters

·         Whilst I have run it a number of times there are always more hills than I remember – was it 6 or 7?

·         So to be honest it is a hilly course, long hills rather than super steep ones

·         As per 2010, 2011 finishers left with a good quality training top.

So for those that have not run it before I don’t want you to be put off, it is a hard course but it is well organised and nearby.  It will provide you with a local race if you want to increase your race distance from 4 or 5 or 6 miles.  It’s well supported both with runners and marshals (Roger and Shelia always like greeting us in Minster Lovell).

It can’t be that hard as Derek, Ian, Graham and Denise decided to run back home as part of their marathon training afterwards!!  Some of them made it too!!

A couple of debuts to highlight in the last Motavation of the season: Beth for her first race in Eynsham colours, and Fay for her first race ever. Well done to you both, and to Kate for winning the VL55 category for the season. Honourable mentions should also go to Robert and Jacky, who both finished 4th overall in their categories.

A relatively small ERR turnout meant that it was a bit of a joker-fest at Bearbrook. Still, a pleasant day and fastish course. The only downside was Derek's disappointment in finding that the 'mixed showers' weren't.

Tich won the wine and his report follows the results.

I arrived at Aylesbury RFC with time to spare which is rare for me! There was a good turnout bearing in mind that some of our runners had chosen to run the much shorter Hooky 6 that day!

After talking with a few of our runners it was clear that many were playing their jokers – 7 in all. I was glad it was an earlier start (9:30) as it was beginning to get warm.

As we chatted at the start, the gun went off and it took me a further 30 seconds before I started my watch.

During recent races there have been four of us who have run at close quarters, Jane L, Paul C, Ian K and myself, usually last, and it wasn’t long before we were together again. As we turned left onto the main road to approach RAF Halton I could see a steady climb ahead of us. Managing to get to the front of our group, I then passed a guy running barefoot! Was he nuts? Taking a quick drink at the water station, I pressed on knowing Jane, Paul and Ian were not far behind.

Downhill through Halton – Ian was back with me – running side by side encouraging each other to go faster. As we approached the last major road junction with only 1K to go, marshals waved us across. Ian just about managed to cross but as I stepped into the road the car on my right leapt forward. In a split-second I had to leap back onto the path, otherwise I would have been spread-eagled over the bonnet. The driver sped off shouting abuse at both of us!!

We ran around the rugby pitch egging each other on with me crossing the line just ahead of Ian, a mere 4 seconds behind, followed by Jane and Paul.

I was pleased with my time, knowing it may have been slower had it not been for the encouragement towards the finish.

It has been made even more enjoyable with me winning the bottle of wine, though it was only one glass before it was demolished by you know who!

A slightly reduced turnout for the 2nd Bletchingdon Motavation of the season, both overall and among the ERR runners, which should have made it a good night to play your joker. However, as far as I know that wily old fox Mr Kavanagh was the only one to do so. If you showed similar cunning, please let me know.

Some excellent performances at Evesham, with Robert picking up another prize, Kate winning her category, and Denise winning an orchid, even if on closer inspection this appears to have been for 4th V35 lady. In fact, Denise started after Mark, finished in front of him, so we're wondering how her time was 3 seconds slower.

A number of PBs, some of which I've categorised as 'big'. No jokers that I know of, so let me know if you played yours.

Gemma, in addition to her big PB, also won the wine, and her report follows the results.

"Fantastic, terrible, PB, worst 10k ever" These are a few of the comments being banded about after the Evesham 10k, a club championship race on Sunday 11th July. It was a fantastic club turnout for this relatively new but very well organised 10K (although I am slightly biased as this is my parent's running club!). A few of our faster members got a mention at the beginning of the race, so with no pressure, a sea of blue shirts crossed the start line on Evesham High Street. The race itself is undulating with twists and turns around the town. It has a great mix of road through the town, trail along the river and paths through the park. There is vocal support along most of the course and in particular at the finish. On the day in question, the weather was HOT. This seemed to either be a help or a hindrance as the variety in peoples finishing feelings demonstrated. Robert Storey was obviously having a great race as he came in 3rd overall. Our men's team also won 1st prize in the team event and from a personal point of view, with a new 10k pb under my belt, I was having a pretty good day too!

No short league points available this time, but an excellent turn-out nonetheless, with 48 Eynsham runners among the 340 finishers overall.

Congratulations to Robert for winning not just the MV40 title, but the race itself, which makes 2 race victories in a week (can anyone remember the last time an Eynsham runner did that?).

Well done also to Jacky for the LV45 prize, although some young upstart had the nerve to pip Kate for the LV55.

If anyone's time was different from that given in the official results below (which were gun to chip), then please let me know, along with any PBs/jokers that I've missed.

Joan won the wine and her report follows the results.