One of the South’s toughest off-road fixtures of the season, the Dorset Stickler race featuring 1,500ft of climbing in its 10.1miles saw a sizeable City of Salisbury contingent contesting the prize-list.
Their successes on the Shillingstone-based course were only slightly marred by a marshalling error that relegated Stuart Holloway from first place to second after he was inadvertently sent the wrong way while leading the pack.
His time of 69min 39sec would otherwise have threatened the course record, but it still led a string of other fine performances over the rain-soaked ground. Angus Paton was the second Salisbury man home, going well in 82.06
He was hotly pursued by Poppy Langdon-Down with a superb run of 82.17. That was good enough not only to take third place in the women’s race but also led a Salisbury trio completed by Samantha Hibdige 89.23 and Ruth Holloway 89.25 to a well-earned ladies’ team win.
Next of the men to finish was Mark Glanville in 82.20, then came Al Moutray with a good-for-age 82.57, Richard Larcombe 87.31, Marc Hankins 89.22, Nick Hudson 89.23 and Phil Perry 91.00
Jonathan Kershaw just beat the 100min barrier with 99.58, and he was followed by Alison Scott 104.15, Rachel Bala 105.07, Adam Gedge 105.56, Annie Wills 106.08, Louise Sloan 106.18, Linda Robson 120.22, Lisa Milner 120.23 and Frances Turner 123.56
On the flatter roads of the Clock Change Challenge 10k at Calne, Kevin O’Leary clocked 49min 17sec to improve his best at the distance and Denise von Roretz finished in 66.00
Lindsay Kirk was the club’s only runner at the Stroud half marathon where his time was 91min 34sec
By John Ruskin